Katherine "Kay" Arnold, 90, who served her community and the nation's veterans as a tireless volunteer for more than 50 years, died April 21, 2015, at her Acton home.

Born February 4, 1925, in Weston, the only child of William and Florence (McLeod) Hayes, Kay moved with her family to Acton at age 10. She graduated from Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, and during her time there, she did machine work for eight months at Raytheon.

This was during World War II, which became the impetus for her life's calling. She began volunteering when the soldiers started returning home from the war, and continued to do so while raising daughters Diane and Janet and son Philip. For the rest of her life, she was a fixture in veteran services, and on April 19, 2015, just two days before she died, Mrs. Arnold was honored for logging more than 50,000 hours of service since the early 1960's at the Bedford Veterans Affairs Medical Center, also known as the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital. Even then, she was still driving twice a week to the hospital campus, which she navigated on a motorized scooter while fulfilling duties that variously during her half-century of service included veteran adviser, management assistant counselor, patient recreation leader and VA Voluntary Service Representative for American Ex-Prisoners of War. Most recently, she worked in the hospital's drug and alcohol homeless program.

The Ex-POW position was unique, as Mrs. Arnold explained to The Beacon, Acton's newspaper when she was honored for her service longevity, because "as volunteer patient advocate, we were nominated by the administration of Voluntary Service. Nobody else is allowed to do what I do because I was sanctioned from Washington, D.C. I've done DNA, I've helped on the divorces, I work with the lawyers and probation officers. The veterans agents, I've been invited to their meetings."

Her latest accolade was only one of many salutes for Mrs. Arnold's work as an activist in veteran and community causes. She received the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Award for Voluntary Service (VAVS): the Rotary Club Service Above Self Award; the VAVS National Advisory Committee Female Volunteer of the Year Award, for which she was singled out from more than a million fellow volunteers; and the Daughters of the American Revolution Community Service Award. And in 2010, the Bedford VA dedicated a wing in her name to house homeless women's veterans.

In addition, in 2012 the Town of Acton selected Mrs. Arnold as grand marshal of the Memorial Day parade, recognition usually restricted to veterans. A scholarship in her name was established in 2012 by the Acton Republican Town Committee (ARTC) and is presented annually to the Acton-Boxborough Regional High School senior who produces the best essay on a person in American history who was instrumental in preserving and promoting liberty. Mrs. Arnold served on the ARTC for 62 years and in the early 1970s was among the members who founded the Acton Women's Republican Club.

She was predeceased by her husband, William Arnold and former husband, Stanley Nedza. She is survived by her children, Diane Obayashi of San Anselmo, CA, Janet McGrady of Hingham and Philip Nedza of Saco, ME and granddaughter, Tate Obayashi of NYC.

Visitation will be held at the Bedford Funeral Home, 167 Great Rd., Bedford on Friday April 24 from 4-8 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9 AM on Saturday, April 25 in the Veterans Administration Chapel, 200 Springs Rd., Building 81, Bedford, MA. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Bedford VAMC Patient Programs, 200 Springs Rd., Bedford, MA 01730