Mrs. Marquita Nicole Arnold

On Saturday, December 11, 2021, God sent an angel to gather one of the rarest, most effervescent stars under the heavens, Marquita Nichole Arnold. It was then when Marquita departed this life and received her invitation to “come up higher”, where she would meet with her Lord, and rest from her labors. 

Marquita was born on May 19, 1979, in the city of Kokomo, Indiana, to Jeffrey L. Minor, Sr. and Crystal L. Minor.  As a child, Marquita was quiet, well-mannered, and very attentive.  She would rather watch her cousins get dirty playing outside, while she remained neat and clean, perched in the doorway. She shared an affectionate smile that would brighten your day and draw others to her presence. As the eldest child, she intuitively nurtured and was considerate of her siblings and others, giving of herself greatly. These traits would help to make her the best of motherly figures, caring for her nieces and nephews, and eventually her own children.

Growing up, Quita, as she was affectionately known, was an active member of Grace Memorial Institutional Church of God in Christ, Inc. She accepted the Lord Jesus as her personal savior and was filled with the Holy Ghost. She participated in the Sunshine Band, mentored in the Youth Purity group, as well as sang in the Angelic, Youth, and Mass choirs. She loved being a part of the GMIC Drill Team, where she was a gentle giant characterized as “likeable, loveable, and popular”, but most of all, she was considered the voice of reason to her family and peers. As one of her sisters put it, “Marquita was the balance or the glue amongst her siblings. She was the epitome of her grandmother’s heart.”

In May of 1997, Marquita received her diploma from Kokomo High School. She went on to further her education at Wright's Beauty College in Kokomo, IN and, shortly after, attended Prairie View A&M University in Texas for a period of time. Upon returning to Kokomo, she was employed by Hampton INN & Suites, and Verizon Wireless (Westfield).  Marquita possessed a loving teachable spirit that longed for more of Christ. She was greatly enriched by things like spending time with her maternal grandmother, the late Rosetta Jones, and talking to her paternal grandfather, the late Elder Joseph E. Minor Jr., whilst he labored over the word of God. Marquita accepted the call into ministry, delivering her trial sermon entitled “No Excess Baggage”, and receiving her aspiring missionary’s license shortly thereafter. 

While attending the Church of God in Christ International Holy Convocation in November of 2001, in Memphis, TN, Marquita was introduced to Anthony Demetrius Arnold by DeAndra Beard. After shaking her hand, and holding onto it, Marquita was being asked to “save him from DeAndra” because he felt he was being “held hostage at the late night musical”.  The pair would embark on a fruitful long-distance relationship (he being in Evanston, IL, and she in Kokomo,IN). On the one year anniversary of their meeting, Anthony proposed to Marquita at the very same musical in Memphis, and she agreed to be his wife. They were joined in holy matrimony on June 21, 2003, at Grace Memorial, with the ceremony officiated both by her late Pastor, Bishop Milton L. Hall, Sr, and her grandfather Elder Minor. Promising her family that he’d “take care of her”, Anthony whisked Quita away to Evanston, where she became his Quita-Face, and he became her Babe.

Quita joined the Faith Temple Church of God in Christ of Evanston, IL, under the leadership of the late Bishop Carlis L. Moody Sr., and was affectionately known as “T.T. Quita” by the youth. She thrived while working in various ministry efforts such as Youth Bible Study, Angel Tree Ministry, Women of Worship & Daughters of Praise Dance Ministries, Women’s Day Choir, Women’s prayer calls, and a host of couples counseling opportunities.  T.T. Quita warmed her way into the hearts of the young people, as she endeavored to show the agape love of God to all of her Evanston church family at Faith Temple.

Marquita joined the sales support team at Wolters Kluwer Law and Business, where she worked for 17 years.  Her hard work and dedication, and steady productivity was of great value to her employer and was acknowledged throughout the years.  In her time there she developed strong bonds and friendships and leaves behind several cherished co-workers for whom the impact of her loss is deeply felt.

Marquita LOVED her some Anthony…and Anthony LOOOOOOOOOOOOVED him some Quita-Face. From all this LOVE… their son Angelo, and daughters Meah & Audra came to be, and the five were collectively known as “The Arnolds”.  Marquita was the devoted wife and the doting mother she’d always dreamed she would be. She lavished all her love on her “Bud…Sweet Girl…and Pudd”, and they cherished the privilege to be shaped and molded by such a Godly mama. She attended football games, volleyball games, orchestra concerts, wrestling meets, basketball games, team parent events, and participated in 5k runs, all to encourage and cheer on her babies. And even after 12 years of asking questions like, “What is a first down again?” and, “How can you even tell where the ball is?” she was fully vested in being the biggest cheerleader for her loves.  Marquita LOVED being their mom!

When Anthony would get up to speak before the congregation at Faith Temple, he would often testify that, “This girl is the manifestation of God’s grace and mercy towards me!”  He loved her with all his heart and soul.     

Marquita’s love and compassion towards others left each feeling loved, appreciated, comforted, and understood as if she was an angel on assignment. When she danced before the Lord with that angelic presence, she looked towards heaven with such adoration, praise, and exuberance that she pulled you in as well.  Truly, she lived as a saint among us whose heart God had touched.

As aforementioned, Quita made her transition on Saturday, December 11, 2021. She is preceded in death by her maternal grandmother Patricia Minor Billberry; grandfather, Cecil Jones Sr. and grandmother, Rosetta Jones.; uncle, Cecil Jones Jr.; her paternal grandfather, Elder Joseph Minor. She leaves to cherish her memory, a loving husband, Anthony Arnold, one son, Angelo, and two daughters Meah & Audra; her parents Crystal Minor, Jeffrey L. (Lisa) Minor Sr.; two brothers, Jeffrey Minor Jr. and Joe (Tasha) Washington; five sisters, Erica Washington; Brianna Minor; Jshanien Minor (Derrick Kosch), Brittany Jones, Ayriel (Craig) Williams; and a host of uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends with a special love for her “Annie”, her aunt Sharmaine.

 “Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness; to the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever.” Psalm 30:11-12.   Please keep the family in your prayers.

Arrangements entrusted to Thompson Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc. Mr. Philip L. Gillette ~ Funeral Director

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