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AMHERST - Dr. Gordon Davies Arnold, of Amherst, died on Dec. 20, 2009, at the age of 92.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Caroline Gavin Arnold; his five children, Pamela, Bruce, Mark, Marcia and Bonnie; three stepchildren, six grandchildren, four stepgrandchildren, four great-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren.

Gordon was born in Stoneham to Rev. Willard Clark Arnold and Julia Davies Arnold on Aug. 17, 1917. His early years were spent living with his parents and two brothers as they traveled from various parishes for the Methodist Church. They lived in West Burke, Sheldon, Swanton, and Northfield, Vt., from 1917 to 1925; then to Sebring, Hollywood and Miami, Fla., from 1925 to 1930; and finally to Whitinsville, Lynn and Reading, Mass., from 1930 to 1943.

He attended Burdett Business College from 1934 to 1936, Boston University from 1936 to 1941, Boston University Medical School from 1940 to 1942 and he was a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

As World War II broke out, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he continued his surgical training at the U.S. Naval Hospital in St. Albans, N.Y. He served as a lieutenant on the USS Blakely, the USS Glynn, in Groton Long Point, Conn., and finally in Pensacola, Fla. He served in the American Campaign and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign. He received the Victory Medal and was honorably discharged in 1946.

In 1953, he and his first wife, Florence Vossbrinck Arnold, moved to Northampton, where they set up his surgical practice. He retired in 1985 as chief of surgery at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. He then volunteered his surgical services with Project Hope, making three trips to Grenada and another to Thailand with his wife Caroline.

Gordon always loved telling or hearing a good joke, and sharing stories. He loved traveling the world, playing his piano, gardening, fly tying, fishing and hunting with his son Mark, playing with all the babies in his family and getting together with friends and family.

Donations in his name may be made to the Hospice of Cooley Dickinson Hospital or the Kestrel Trust. Memorial services will be announced at a later date.