John Edward Arthur, 82, of Naples, Idaho, passed away on September 16, 2024. A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, October 20, at The Pearl Theater, 7160 Ash Street, Bonners Ferry.
John was born September 11, 1942, in Moorcroft, Wyoming, the son of Harry and Ruth Harmon Arthur. The Arthur family relocated to Bonners Ferry in 1951.
John attended Bonners Ferry High School before enlisting in the U.S. Army. After being honorably discharged from the military in 1962, John worked mainly as a truck driver. He also proved to be an exceptional mechanic, builder and problem solver. He could “MacGyver” his way through any project in front of him.
John was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, fishing, farming and long drives exploring the mountains. Equal to his passion for nature, John had a healthy admiration for fast cars and roaring engines, traveling to various speedways and arenas to enjoy the races or occasional demolition derby.
John was a magnetic force, people gravitated towards him, and he accepted and loved them all. He was compassionate, loving, caring, witty, and hilarious. If you were around John, you were guaranteed to laugh because he had a great story for you.
Dad, we will miss you, immensely. You were always there when we would call and drop what you were doing to come help us. Because of you, we have the hearts of a lion, the love of our family, and an insane work ethic. We thank you dad for all the calls, wise words of advice, hard work, and your boundless love for us. We are all better people because of you.
Remaining to cherish John’s memory are his children, Jolene Szilasi (Terry), Jason Arthur, and Julie Timmerman (Jordan); grandchildren, Austin Devlin, Alicia Baggarley (Brent), and Chase Hannahs (Emily); great-grandchildren, Austin Devlin Jr, Waylon Hannahs; brothers, Willy Arthur (Barbara) and Kenny Arthur (Carol), as well as many friends and extended family members who will miss him dearly.
Preceding John in death are his parents, Harry and Ruth; brothers, Harry, Thomas, Gerald, and Donald; and sisters, Nina, Patricia, Sharon, and Charlene.