Arthur, Louis David “Dave”

Arthur, Louis David (Dave)
Fortified with the Last Rights of the Roman Catholic Church, Dave passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on April 10, 2023, at age 88 in St. Louis, MO. Born in, Hackensack New Jersey, on April 23, 1934, the third of eight sons to Louis and Rose Arthur, who preceded him in death. Dave left Garfield (NJ) High School at age 18 to work at his family’s heavy construction business. He completed his high school education via correspondence school and served two years in the U.S. Army. In 1958, on a blind date, Dave met the love of his life, Anne Ursula Nero. The couple married on January 23, 1960. Within a year of their marriage, he and Anne left New Jersey for Angola, IN and Tri-State University (Trine University). He graduated from Tri-State in 27 months with a degree in civil engineering. A lifetime student, Dave completed degrees of study in advanced civil engineering, chemical engineering and he obtained his MBA degree. Dave is also a proud alumnus of Stevens Institute of Technology and Fontbonne University.

Dave was a member of the American Society of Professional Engineers. He spent his career working in the pharmaceutical industry, overseeing a number of large scale national and international projects, traveling to more than 28 countries, for Hoffman-LaRoche and Merck.

A devoted Catholic, Dave was a third-degree member of the Knights of Columbus, currently serving in the Webster Groves Council.

As proud as he was of his educational and professional accomplishments, Dave was most proud of his family, including Anne, his wife of 63 years, daughters June (Roger) Herman, Amy (Scott) Mayfield, and Jill (Tom) Barry, and grandchildren Andrea and Michael Herman, and Bridget and Brynn Mayfield.

Dave loved spending time with his family, especially if he was enjoying a dish of pasta and Jersey Italian gravy; planning and executing countless home building projects and all adjacent trips to Home Depot; or problem-solving family outings in the most complicated way possible. He gave us endless headaches but also unlimited love as he tried to steer us from one project to another. His motto was “It’s Easy!”, but, of course, it rarely ever was. His one regret may be that he was unable to finish the basement in his and Anne’s new villa.

Dave is also survived by brothers Valentine, Frank, Paul, and Mitchell, brother-in-law John Greco, and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Letty and Ronald Krenc, and many nieces and nephews. Brothers Leonard, Alexander, and Robert, Dave’s father-in-law and mother-in-law, Louis and Anne Nero, and sisters-in-law Elizabeth (Betty) Hensler Arthur and Jane Nero Greco also preceded him in death.

Visitation beginning at 8:45am, followed by Funeral Mass at 9:30am, St. Mary Magdalen Church (Brentwood) April 21, 2023. Interment 12:30pm at Jefferson Barracks. A celebration of Dave’s life will be held from 1pm-3pm at Trattoria Toscano following interment.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Siteman Cancer Center, MSC 1247-414-2100, 7425 Forsyth Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63105 or online at siteman.wustl.edu/tribute. Please indicate the gift is in memory of Louis David Arthur by writing a memo on your check.

Dave’s family would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Iskra Pusic, Catherine O’Brien, Nicole Knebel, and Brooke Ramsey at Siteman Cancer Center for their steadfast care and unwavering patience; the dedicated staff at Siteman Cancer Care, the outstanding nurses and clinicians at Siteman Cancer Center, South County; the Critical Care Paramedic Team with the Mehlville Fire Protection District Station 3, and the compassionate caregivers with BJC Hospice.