Arthur A. Black Jr.

SAN ANTONIO – Arthur A. Black Jr., 93, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Nov. 1, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas, where he was living comfortably with family. He was born Jan. 21, 1926 to Arthur A. and Ruby S. Black and raised in Portland, Maine (and Gray during summers).Arthur enlisted in the Air Force at 18 and after serving, graduated from the University of Maine with a B.S. in business in 1949. He had a successful string of entrepreneurial ventures over the years (apartment and shopping center management, aerial property photography, real estate in Florida). He worked through his late 80s but always spent as much time as he could relaxing on Little Sebago Lake at the family camp or taking a vacation abroad. He cared about family more than anything and was a warm and loving man who made everyone he met smile, laugh, and feel heard. Arthur or “Grampy” was the embodiment of quiet gratitude and he stayed cool, calm, content and comical right up until his final hours. Grampy will be deeply missed, but he left the world a kinder place and we’ll always remember the calm and assured way he’d say “Don’t mattah” or “No problem” whenever a problem arose. He survived the loss of his wife Ruth S. Black, who passed in 1983; and six older siblings, Ernest (Bea) Black, Kenneth (Marge) Black, Eleanor (Dana) Sidelinger, Ruby (Roderick) Elliot, Lydia (Gren) Jordan, and Emily (Don) Favor. Arthur is survived by his travelling companion and girlfriend of 30 years Gerry Frierson; son, Arthur III (Teresa) Black, daughter, Bonnie (Barry) Bartlett, daughter, Robyn (Steve Labrecque) Black; grandchildren, Aaron, Ryan, Jesse, Arthur IV, Alana, Cassie and Matti; six great-grandchildren; and many more nieces and nephews spread across the country. Arthur’s ashes will be interred next to his wife, Ruth, in August 2020 at a private family ceremony. There will also be a BBQ and celebration of Arthur’s life at Skip and Teresa’s camp on Little Sebago Lake in August 2020. Details to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland.

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