Samuel Gene Arthur

Samuel Gene Arthur, 69, passed away on Thursday, March 18, 2021. He was born December 27, 1951, to a large, hardworking, blue collar family in St. Louis. His parents began instilling the importance of faith and spirituality in him from birth. As a young teen, Sam developed his intense love of music and demonstrated this through his trumpet playing, which would send chills down your spine.
Just when opportunities with Russ Taff and the church were opening up in Christian music, Sam was diagnosed with Stage 4 spinal cancer. Six months before his high school graduation, his life changed. He was told he had a 10% chance of surviving the operation and if he survived, he was given 6 months to live.
Sam's faith and courage are what carried him through. Not only did he survive the operation, he lived another 51 years. During these 51 years, he learned to walk again, graduated college, married, had four children, and five grandchildren. Despite hard work and perseverance, his health continued to gradually decline, putting him back in a wheelchair. 30 years of quadriplegia never stopped him from continuing to provide for his family. Now he is free and walking in Heaven alongside his loved ones.
Sam was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Thelma Arthur; daughter, Andrea Nicole Arthur; and sisters, Patricia Arthur and Kathy Bunnell.
Survivors include his children, Stephanie Arthur, Jonathan Blanton (Jacklyn), Sharilyn Clifton (Scott) all of Mississippi; brothers, Al Arthur (Debbie) of Paragould, Phil Arthur Cherokee Village; sisters, Rebecca Cude of Cherokee Village, Michelle Buck (David) of Arkadelphia; and grandchildren, Marley Clifton, Maysie Clifton, Emma-Grace Blanton, Jaylon Blanton, and Katie-Marie Blanton all of Mississippi.
The family will receive friends on Monday, March 22, from 2:00 p.m. until service time at Phillips Funeral Home. The funeral service will begin at 3:00 p.m. with Danny Murphy officiating. Burial will follow at Lorado Cemetery.
David Buck, Adam Arthur, Brad Arthur, Jacob Blair, Zander Lester, and Quinton Leake will serve as pallbearers. All of Sam's caregivers will serve as honorary pallbearers.

The family would like to express their gratitude to Sam's many caregivers and a special thank you to his special caregiver, Susan, his wife of 24 years.

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