Neil Arthur

R. Neil Arthur, a devoted husband, Dad, Grandad, mentor, and friend, passed away Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at age 74 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Born April 28, 1951, in Springfield, Ohio, he was the son of Eugene M. and Judith A. (Valley) Arthur and a 1969 graduate of Northwestern High School.

Known for his generous spirit, quick wit, and genuine care for others, Neil mentored business owners and colleagues with wisdom, encouragement, and friendship marked by lively banter, making every conversation fun and memorable. He found great joy in the outdoors, cooking, and gathering around a table with good food and wine, jazz music, and those he loved. The center of his happiness was his wife, Sally, and building a home filled with warmth, laughter, and adventure. Though he loved the Rockies, Neil and Sally recently returned east to connect more deeply with their children and grandchildren – a constant source of pride and joy.

As the eldest son of a single mother of five in the 1950s and 1960s, Neil's childhood was formed by duty, responsibility, and humble circumstances that instilled in him a tireless work ethic, resourcefulness, and drive. His affection and care for younger siblings, Roger, Ann, Gary, and Sharon, were shaped in those early years. As a teenager, Neil spent summers working alongside his Grandad, building houses and learning carpentry skills with his Grandmother Mimi close by. He also served as drum major during his senior year.

Neil then entered his long-haired era, from his days at Miami of Ohio's campus, where he met Sally, to exploring a variety of vocations. He was a short-order cook and a VW mechanic, but at heart, he was an entrepreneur, trying his hand at many startups with Marilyn by his side, whom he married during the 1970s hippie era. He believed deeply in peace, and during the Vietnam War stood firm in his convictions.

Neil, Marilyn, and their son, Nathan, shared many adventures as he embraced fatherhood. They crossed the country after farmhouse living and later welcomed their youngest daughter, Erica. Soon after, they put down roots in Hilliard, Ohio, where Anya's adoption completed the family of five, and he was proud to be the family's "Papa Bear." He had a fist-pump declaration, "It's tradition!" marking each tradition generations will carry forward. Active in the Hilliard community and an advocate for the schools, he could be found in the stands when the band played, the audience for every recital, and in the cleanup crew. Their home was the heart of family life, from the deck Neil designed and built to the dinner table where he fostered conversation on every topic under the sun.

Moving to Dayton marked a new season in Neil’s life. There, with his second wife, Tera, he founded ArthurBiz Advisors and became a steady presence in the community. As a member of the Cool Kids Club, he found friendship alongside his work.

The Rockies continued to call, and two decades after his bucket-list Philmont trek with Nathan, he began his Colorado life with their up-close views. In Colorado Springs, a new chapter began as he reunited with Sally — college sweethearts reconnected and married fifty years later — looking forward to their move to Greensboro in June to be closer to family.

Neil's signature question, "What's your passion?" guided his own life and work. He devoted his professional life to newspapers, communications, and industry organizations that brought people together. He began his career in advertising sales across Columbus, Ohio, in the 1980s, rising to publisher of the Columbus Guardian. He served as Vice President of the Columbus Region with Thomson, then Gannett, overseeing ten regional newspapers, and later became President and Publisher of the Dayton Business Journal, revitalizing it as the industry struggled. He built driven sales teams, twice honored with Thomson Newspapers' President's Club award for leading the strongest growth in the country. Later, through ArthurBiz Advisors, he guided businesses through challenges and change with the same steady conviction.

Neil's commitment to service was woven into every stage of his life. He gave years to the Rotary Club of Dayton and the Chamber of Commerce, helping shape the city's civic and business vision. As Miami Valley Boy Scouts council president, he invested time in developing young leaders. He chaired the board of the American Institute of Alternative Medicine, judged the Better Business Bureau's Eclipse Integrity Awards, and mentored through Junior Achievement and Ohio Robotics.

Neil is survived by his wife, Sally (Van Wyk) Arthur; his first wife and mother of his children, Marilyn (Murphy) Arthur; his three children, Nathan (Kristina) Arthur, Anya (Darrell) Hughes, and Erica Orwig; and grandchildren Benjamin and Liam Arthur, Ozzie, Dominic, and Finn Hughes, and Gwendolyn and Bridgid Box. He is also survived by three stepchildren, Alison Van Wyk, Jeffrey (Sophia) Van Wyk, and Gregory (Bethany) Van Wyk; and step-grandchildren Nielsen and Sydney, Teagen and Tristan; his brothers, Gary (Alisa) Arthur and David (Kay) Arthur, and his sisters, Ann Goff and Sharon (Richard) Wildman; and his second wife, Tera Arthur. He was preceded in death by his brother, Roger Arthur; his sister, Nancy Harber; and his brother-in-law, Ron Harber.

Friends are invited to visit with the family on Saturday, October 11, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Jackson, Lytle & Lewis Life Celebration Center Funeral Home, 2425 N. Limestone St., Springfield, Ohio. A memorial service will be held at the funeral home at 3:00 p.m., followed by graveside services for the family at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Tremont City.

In lieu of flowers, a scholarship is being established in Neil’s honor with Ohio Robotics, Inc. (XtremeSTEM), where he was a founding partner and co-founder of the XtremeSTEM program. Neil had a lifelong passion for STEM education, and through XtremeSTEM, thousands of students have launched careers in manufacturing, engineering, and the aerospace industry. Your donation will help continue his mission of inspiring and empowering future innovators.

tinyurl.com/NeilArthurRoboticsMemorialFund