Arthur Withington, 91, of Lander, Wyoming, passed away on February 19, 2023, in the comfort of his home with his wife by his side.
Arthur Withington was born in Honolulu, HI on September 8, 1931, to the late Rev. Frederic Burnham Withington and Margaret Adriance Withington. They lived in the Hawaiian Islands (Honolulu and Waimea, Oahu and Lihue, Kauai) where his father’s family lived. He had a wonderful childhood, growing up in ethnically diverse communities as the only blonde kid. Life changed rapidly when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. His father passed away when Art was 11. During WWII, he and his mother moved across the ocean by zig-zag boat route to avoid submarine detection, then train across the continental US to Winchester, MA, where his mother’s family lived. He was the youngest of three brothers: Frederic (JoAnne) and William (Anne).
After Arthur graduated from Governor Dummer Academy in 1950, he went on to study Engineering Physics and ROTC at the University of Maine graduating with distinction in 1954. He was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and competed on the Track and Field Team, earning a Letter for the 110 Yard High Hurdles.
Art served in the Army at Ft. Huachuca, AZ for 2 years, where he was in the Signal corps. He was honorably discharged as a First Lieutenant. After his military service he worked for General Electric (GE) Aerospace Electronic Systems Division as an accomplished engineer for 35 years. He worked on a wide range of defense contracts including radar systems, radar countermeasures, and one of the first heads up air-craft displays for the military.
He met the love of his life, Annette Gertrude Eysaman, through their mutual love of downhill skiing at an Irondequoit Ski Club Christmas Party. They were married at Plymouth Bethesda Church in Utica, NY with a reception at the Trinkaus Manor in Oriskany, NY on October 22, 1966. They made a home in Clinton, NY for 40 years where they raised three children. They also hosted three foreign exchange students.
Art was a member of the GE ELFUN Society, golf and bowling leagues, Utica Curling Club, 100 Club (dancing), Kiwanis Club, and American Legion. He served on the Board of Deacons for Plymouth Bethesda United Church of Christ and was a Cubmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster for his sons’ Boy Scout Troops. He was a HAM radio operator, built radio-controlled aircraft in the 1950’s, and built his own Lab 80 Computer in the 1970’s.
They spent their summers with their kids at a second home on Piseco Lake in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains of NY. He was an avid sailor, a love instilled by his father, also an avid sailor, racing their sunfish and then Flying Scot with Annette as crew for many decades. As an active member of The Piseco Yacht Club, he served terms as commodore and treasurer. They also loved to motorboat and waterski with family and friends, even through this past summer in Wyoming and Utah.
Art and Annette loved to travel and visited most of the 50 states (including return trips to Hawaii where he still has relatives and their son Scott and Holly were married at the church where Art’s father was pastor), Europe, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Southern Africa, and cruises to the Caribbean and Panama Canal. During retirement, they would spend off-seasons in Florida and winters skiing in Colorado, before moving to Las Vegas, NV for six years and Lander, WY for the last eight years. They were married for 56 years and loved to keep active and spend time with their family and friends.
Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Friend, Superstar – Art was a man who loved his wife, kids, and grandkids with all his heart and soul. He leaves behind his loving wife, Annette, three children, Scott (Holly Hale) Withington of Warren, MI, Allen (Jennifer) Withington of Brighton, MI, and Cynthia (Jeremy) Newman of Lander, WY, seven grandchildren, Katherine, Perrin, Ian, Bryce, Sierra, Grace, and Luke, a sister-in-law JoAnn Souter Withington, nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
Please sign the on-line guestbook: hudsonsfh.com.