John Steven Arthur

Dr. Steve Arthur, of Abilene, died Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at the age of 58. Visitation will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 25, at St. Paul United Methodist Church, with Pastors Barry and Maureen Wilson officiating. Burial will follow in Elmwood Memorial Park. Steve was born November 4, 1949 in Comanche, Texas to John Manning Arthur and Geraldine Starkey Arthur. He attended Brownwood High School where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1968. While in high school, Steve was awarded first place in the 27th Annual Westinghouse National Science Talent Search. He achieved state UIL places both in science and singles tennis. He received the Rocco C. Caffereli Scholarship Award and Certificate of Proficiency in the basic sciences. Dr. Arthur graduated Magna Cum Laude from Rice University in 1972. While attending Rice University he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He attended Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, where he was certified in Internal Medicine and Gerontology. He served as President of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Society, was awarded the Michael DeBakey Scholar in 1974, and graduated in 1975 with high honors. From 1975 to 1976, Steve served his internship at the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver. He served his Internal Medicine residency at Houston Medical Center, where he was named Chief of Emergency Medicine for the city of Houston and established a system of emergency procedures that is still being followed today. He moved to Abilene in 1980, where he practiced with Abilene Diagnostic Clinic until his retirement in 1999. Steve was recognized by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners in 1983 and named a Fellow of the American College of Physicians in 1996. After retiring from his medical practice he went on to receive his MBA through Regis University in Denver, Colorado. He received his pilot's license in 2006. He owned a home building and land development company. Steve was actively involved in many Taylor County philanthropies. More important than any other accomplishment, he was a loving and generous family man. He was loved by family members, his friends and patients who will always remember his giving nature and kind heart. He showed great love for his parents and sister, but most of all he loved his wife and children and took great pride in being a wonderful father and grandfather. Dr. Thomas Headstream, Lee Haney, Malcom Lorenzen, Dr. Anton Melnyk, Scott Avery, Dr. Sandip Mathur, Gary Blake, Davy Bolin, Forrest McCray, and Louis Maberry will serve as pallbearers. Dr. David Halbert, Dr. Austin King, Sonny Laird, Joe Mac Lindley, Dr. Paul Thames, Dr. Jack Bargainer, and Dwight Kinney will serve as honorary pallbearers. Steve was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, John "Hip" Hilburn and Earnestine Arthur, of Comanche; his maternal grandparents, Williard Raymond and Annie Walton Starkey of Rochester, Indiana; and one uncle, Gene Arthur of Brownwood. Dr. Arthur is survived by his parents, John and Geraldine Arthur, of Abilene; his wife, Vicki Lynn Arthur, of Abilene; daughters, Allison Arthur Cowling and her husband Brad, of Abilene, Angela Dawn Zuyus and her husband Elton, of Abilene, Robin Lynn Arthur, of Abilene, and Lashan Nicole Arthur, of College Station; son, Joshua Rhone Arthur, of Abilene; his sister, Sheryl Arthur Haney, of Brownwood; his uncle, Victor Starkey and his wife Susan, of South Carolina; grandchildren, Braaden Michael Morton, Kaitlynn Paige Zuyus, Brandon Scott Cowling, Austin Rhone Arthur, John Daniel Mason, Ashlyn Saige Zuyus, and Steven Michael Cowling. He is also survived by two nephews, Byron Arthur Haney, of Kingwood, and Blake Haney, of Brownwood. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations are made in honor of Dr. Steve Arthur to: Matthew 25 Ministries, P.O. Box 1003, Coleman, Texas 76834; or Texas A & M University Endowment, College Station, Texas 77843; Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas 77030; or to your favorite charity.