Tributes to a devoted dad, 40

Tributes have been paid to a devoted dad and loving husband who died suddenly at home aged just 40.

David Arnold, of Fylingthorpe, died on the morning of 7 March, leaving behind his devastated wife Amy and his beloved two sons George, who turned six just two days later, and Harry, aged three.

David was the Conveyancing Manager at North Yorkshire Law where he had worked since the firm was created in 2001. He was based at the Whitby office but had also spent many years working at the Scarborough office. He had started his legal career at Messrs. Pearson & Whitfield Solicitors in Scarborough which was one of several firms that amalgamated to become North Yorkshire Law. He took a job on reception and then worked his way up the ladder.

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David met his wife Amy, also a property solicitor, in 2001 when she also started working for the firm and they were married in June 2007. They worked alongside each other throughout their working life even after Amy left North Yorkshire Law last summer.

The family said: “David was the best daddy that George and Harry could wish for and he was a truly devoted and loving husband to Amy. No words can describe how much we love him nor how devastated we are at what has happened.”

Tributes followed from those within the industry that David had worked with.

They were led by Richard Boyd, the managing partner at North Yorkshire Law. He told the Gazette: “I have known him for more than 20 years and he has worked for our firm for 16 years.

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“He was very much the office junior but I watched this keen young man for over 20 years and always thought he would go far. When he worked with us 16 years ago he was already trained up as a conveyancer and started managing our conveyancing department.

“He was very good at dealing with both the people he was managing, our staff and the clients. His work was top class, he was respected by the profession and people ringing in from local solicitors, agents and clients are shocked.

“He would come in early and work straight through - he was not a lunch man. It was pressured work with deadlines and buying houses, people want the keys tomorrow. His sense of humour kept the balance and the ship steady.

“It is the sort of thing you read about in papers. You know it happens but it is so close, this is very personal for me. I have known David, Amy and Amy’s family for a long long time.

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“David was a great family man. Amy and the boys meant everything to him. Our conversations were about work and family.”

John Newton, from Pinkney Grunwells in Whitby where Amy works said: “I had the privilege of working with him from 2000 to 2012 and found him an extremely hard-working and conscientious young man. He strove to do the best for his clients and was an extremely nice man as well.”

David also worked closely with the town’s estate agents.

Liz Astin, from Astin’s Estate Agents said: “I have known David for many years both as a friend and professionally. He was a loving husband to Amy and a doting Daddy to his two little boys, a great family man.

“Professionally he was a pleasure to work with and we were always pleased to have him instructed on a sale. One of Whitby’s brightest lights has gone out.”

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Jenny Wood from Jacksons added: “I worked with David on a regular basis over the last 16 years helping people move home or to buy their first home.

“David was always extremely professional and someone I could rely on, he also had a great sense of humour especially when it came to difficult transactions of which we had one or two over the years.

“Our thoughts are with Amy and their children at this devastating time.”

David’s funeral will be held on Monday March 21, 11am at St Oswald’s Church in Lythe. It will be followed by burial at Lythe churchyard and a reception at the Fylingdales Inn.

Donations in lieu of flowers will be made to Child Bereavement UK.

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