Oct. 11, 1941 to Feb. 6, 2016

This hard-working, creative and well-loved man died at age 74 from pulmonary complications after open heart surgery. He was surrounded by his wife and family.

Arvid was born on Oct. 11, 1941, in Langdon, N.D., to Edgar and Ida Mostad; he was the second youngest of 13 siblings. As a small child, he moved with his family to Polson, Mont.

Following high school graduation, he proudly served in the United States Navy as an electrician on destroyer-class ships. 

After the Navy, he attended University of Montana, where he graduated with an accounting degree and, soon after, earned his CPA license. His accounting firm, which he built with his wife Shirlee Christensen, grew into M&C Marketing. They moved M&C Marketing to Oak Harbor in 1984, where it operated as a successful business through 2015, when Arvid retired.

Arvid was passionate about working hard and doing things right. He could be counted on to help with any project and was generous with his time and talents helping friends, neighbors and family. He loved the ocean and his boats and spent many weeks every year exploring and revisiting his favorite American and Canadian San Juan Islands. He enjoyed working with his hands, riding his tractor, walking on the beach, playing with his grandchildren and laughing with friends and family.

He will be remembered for his tireless energy, his ability to figure out how anything worked and his remarkable generosity.

He is leaving a legacy of laughter, love of the outdoors, hard work and creativity. His entrepreneurial spirit inspired and supported thousands of business owners around the country to build their businesses and support their families. We wish that his grandchildren would have had more years with him to learn how to plant flowers, dig ditches, work with wood and tie knots.

A celebration of Arvid’s life will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, at Seafarers’ Memorial Park Building in Anacortes.