William Arnold Rogness

William Arnold Rogness, known throughout his life as Arnold, passed away on August 2, 2026, at the age of 96.

Arnold was born in Camrose, Alberta, on December 7, 1929, the son of Tom and Vera, Norwegian immigrants who had arrived in Canada only a year earlier. His childhood coincided with the beginning of the Great Depression, and his family endured years of considerable hardship.

The family lived in a small two-room house in Kingman, Alberta, without electricity or indoor plumbing. Rent was five dollars a month. Arnold’s father was a cobbler by trade, but there was not enough work to support the family, so he also delivered mail along a rural route. Money was scarce, and nothing was wasted. Those early years left a lasting impression on Arnold and instilled in him a sense of thrift and frugality that remained with him throughout his life.

In 1942, when Arnold was 13, the family left Alberta and moved west to New Westminster, British Columbia. His father found steady employment at the Alaska Pine sawmill, and before long the family was able to purchase a piece of land at 2021 Ninth Avenue. There, Arnold helped his father build the family home. The move to New Westminster marked an important change in their lives, bringing greater security after the difficult Depression years in Alberta.

Arnold attended Duke of Connaught High School in New Westminster, which stood just east of the present-day City Hall. In 1947, he began working at the local IGA grocery store called Hi-View.

In 1953, Arnold married Marg Skonnord. Their marriage would become one of the great blessings of his life. For 67 years, until Marg’s death in 2020, they shared an exceptionally strong and loving marriage, grounded in their devotion to one another and their Christian faith.

In 1964, Hi-View was sold, and Arnold and one of the store’s butchers decided to go into business for themselves. Together they opened A & J Supermarket at 840 Twentieth Street, just a couple of blocks from the store where Arnold had begun his grocery career. In 1973 the store was renamed Dogwood Market.

Owning a business demanded an extraordinary commitment. Arnold routinely worked 60-hour weeks and, for many years, took only one week of vacation each year. Despite the long hours and responsibilities, complaining was simply not part of his nature. He quietly did what needed to be done, year after year, until his retirement in 1994.

Arnold was a man of deep Christian faith, a gentle spirit and a caring heart. Perhaps one of the most remarkable things about him was his generosity. The boy who had grown up with almost nothing during the Great Depression never forgot the value of a dollar and remained personally frugal throughout his life. Yet when it came to helping others, he could be extraordinarily generous. He was careful with what he had, but never reluctant to share it when someone else was in need. He felt a dollar saved was a dollar that could bless someone in need.

Retirement gave Arnold and Marg an opportunity to devote more of their lives to others. Together, they mentored young people who were struggling with the difficulties of marriage and those searching for faith in Christ. They did so not simply through words, but through the example of their own marriage and the way they lived their faith. Their home and their lives became a source of encouragement to many.

Arnold and Marg raised three sons. Their eldest son, Terry (Holly), died tragically in a car accident at the age of 30.

Arnold is survived by his sons Brad (Sandy) and Dan (Judy); his five granddaughters, Beth, Amy, Emily, Terra (Martin) and Krista (Andrew), and his six great-grandchildren, Hannah, Lukas, Grace, Caleb, Edith and Moira.

The measure of Arnold’s life cannot be found simply in the years he lived, the hours he worked or the business he built. It is found in the people he loved and helped along the way. He was a devoted husband, a loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather, a man of faith, and a friend to those who needed encouragement.

The poverty of his childhood taught him frugality; his faith taught him generosity. Hard work taught him perseverance; his marriage taught him the enduring value of love and commitment. Through it all, he remained a man of gentle spirit who rarely complained and quietly cared for those around him.

After 96 years, Arnold leaves behind something far more valuable than possessions: a legacy of faith, generosity, hard work, devotion to family and a life spent caring for others.