William Arion

Above all else Bill Arion was a committed Christian with a deep and abiding love for his Lord and Savior. He was also a loving and committed husband and father. He was the father of five children grandfather of seven. Although circumstances prevented him from enjoying the close relationship with his older children and grandchildren that he desired, he remained faithful in his prayers for each of them.

Bill Arion was born on May 31, 1940 and grew up in the very small town of Cando, ND. There he excelled as both a student and athlete. He earned thirteen letters in high school - 4 in baseball, and 3 each in football, track and basketball. He was active in student activities, being class president and being elected as student body president his senior year.

He graduated at the top of his high school class and received a scholarship to Jamestown College where he majored in Chemistry and minored in Math and Physics. He earned both an MS and Ph.D from the University of North Dakota in 1964 and 1966.

Bill was employed as an Assistant Professor of Physiological Chemistry, NYS Veterinary College, and Associate Professor of Physiological Chemistry, NYS Veterinary both at Cornell University. From 19 76 to 1977 he was a Visiting Professor of Biochemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden. In 1980 he became a full Professor of Biochemistry, Division of Nutritional Sciences and the Section of Biochemistry, Molecular & Cell Biology of the Division of Biological Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.

Bill later became a professor of biochemistry in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University where he remained until his retirement in 2004.

Bill enjoyed his professional work which involved an even division of labor between teaching and research at the postgraduate level at one of world's truly great universities. He had a good mind and was an "original" thinker, analytical, and was blessed (or plagued) with a bulldog-perseverance in problem solving and the energy to match. Thus he could grab hold of a problem and stay with it far longer than most.

During his professorship at Cornell Bill Arion was a good teacher. He put a lot of effort into his teaching and strove for excellence in himself and his students. Many of his former students later reported that his course in energy metabolism was the best course they had ever taken. It was important to Bill that his students leave his course or his laboratory convinced that they had a worthwhile experience that would benefit them in the years to come.

At the time later in life when Bill accepted Christ in 1988 he realized that his profession success had left his life out of balance. Too little time and energy was committed either to self-improvement (mentally, morally and physically) or to the building of strong, loving relationships with his children and others. As a Christian, he endeavored to change his priorities of God first, family second, and his job next, followed by other activities.

While at Cornell University, Bill was an active member and served on the board of the First Assembly of God church. In January 1998 he founded the Cornell University Christian Faculty -Staff Forum and served as its facilitator until his retirement from Cornell University in December of 1999.

In the fall of 2004 Bill applied and was accepted into 2005 Centurion Program sponsored by Charles Colson's Wilburforce Forum. Regrettably demands imposed by a move from New York to Texas necessitated that he withdraw from the program after four months participation.
He also participated in the First Creation College put on by Answers in Genesis.

After his full retirement from Cornell in 2004, Bill Arion and his family relocated to Plano, TX in September of 2005. At that time he and his family became members of Trinity Presbyterian Church.
By August of 2006 he had accepted a teaching position at Coram Deo Academy where he committed himself to the instruction of middle school children in science and math. More important to him than their academic training however was his commitment to their nurturing in a Christian World View. Even after he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and throughout his treatments with chemo, radiation and surgery he remained steadfast to this calling of his later years.

Bill passed from this life to eternity on February 3, 2010 at his home in Plano, Texas. He is survived by his wife Janice, children, Kyza, Kaarn and husband Tim, Katrina and husband Miguel, John-Charles and Lillian, brother, Ellsworth, sister, Janice and grandchildren, Dan, Ed, Nicholas, Jesse, Antonio, Andrew and Anna Marie.

The family will receive friends at a visitation on Sunday afternoon, February 7, 2010 from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. Bill will be laid to rest at 2:30 p.m., Monday, February 8, 2010 at Williams Cemetery in McKinney, Texas. A memorial service to celebrate his life will follow at 4:00 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 4701 Hedgcoxe Rd., Plano, Texas 75024 with Rev. John McCracken officiating. A reception will follow at the church.