Arnold "Will" Aravena

Canandaigua - Arnold “Will” Aravena, age 78, passed away peacefully on June 15th, 2026, after a battle with cancer. He is survived by his companion of 15 years, Wendy Callaway; Wendy’s son, Anthony (Elizabeth) Crudele; two grandchildren, Leo and Lylah Crudele; brother, Arthur (Gwen) Aravena; two daughters, Ingrid (Dan) Shemetoff and Andromeda Aravena; and numerous other family members and friends.

Arnold was born in Brooklyn, NY, and was the son of Luis Herman and Ellen Astrid (Salmi) Aravena. He started his career working for Head Start, a program for early child development. Later, Arnold was on the Board of Directors for Sunset Park School of Music. He taught Social Work and was an adjunct professor for NYU. Arnold retired from the New York City Human Resources Association in 2012, where he ended his career as a Coordinator/Supervisor of Student Education for social work. Arnold received a lifetime achievement award from the City of New York in Social Work shortly before his retirement in June of 2012. Arnold later relocated to central New York.

Music was a very big part of Arnold’s life. He played several instruments and sang in some bands in his younger years. Arnold was also very involved with his church and youth groups. He was an avid fan of the NY Rangers and Buffalo Bills. Arnold enjoyed watching sports and having game nights with his friends – especially during his retirement.

There will be no services to be held at this time. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 10727, Rochester, NY 14610. Arrangements are by Johnson-Kennedy Funeral Home, Inc., Canandaigua. Condolences may be offered at www.johnsonkennedy.com.