The Greatest Generation lost another member with the passing of Dr. Arthur Fourment. Born to Belle and Arthur Fourment, Sr. in Canfield, Ohio, the family moved to Wayne, Michigan, where Art received his education, ultimately enrolling in Henry Ford Engineering College, where he planned to study engineering. The Second World War interrupted those plans and he, like most of the young people at that time, joined the service. He chose to enter the Air Force in 1942 and become a pilot. His four years began with flight school in Mission, Texas where he met his wife-to-be, Geraldine (Jerry) Gebhardt. His time in the service allowed him to fly several different airplanes and finally the converted B24, in which he flew some seventy-five missions from India to China over the Himalayas, delivering fuel to the bombers raiding Japan, receiving the Air Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross.
Prior to his discharge, he met and befriended a dentist who suggested he consider dentistry as a profession- the idea took! On his return, Art met his 1-month-old son for the first time and set his sights on dental school. After preparation, he was accepted and entered Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, where he and his family moved. On graduation, he chose to follow the study of orthodontics, still a young profession, and the family moved to Abilene, Texas where he joined the practice of Dr Gillespie. He practiced first in Abilene, then in Brownwood where he met and married Rose Marie Arnold on April 21, 1979.
On retirement, Art pursued his many hobbies, including flying, painting, golf, travel, sailing and reading. He and Rose Marie visited Europe often, visiting her family in France and researching his family’s genealogy in France and Belgium. They lived on Lake Brownwood, surrounded by good friends and lucky recipients of many of his paintings.
Age, (102), finally caught up with him and he passed on peacefully to the next level, pre-deceased by his first wife, Jerry, and his brother, Louie.
He is survived by his wife, Rose Marie, three children- Richard and wife Temple, Patricia Ann Cooley and husband Joe Paul, Susan Ratliff and husband Joe, along with ten grandchildren and eighteen great grandchildren. On Rose Marie’s side are her four children- Lorena Shaw, husband James, son Andre Arnold and wife Karen, son John Arnold and wife Barbie, daughter Stephanie Eoff and husband Greg, along with ten grandchildren. He will be sorely missed by all.
A graveside funeral service with military honors will be held at 10:00 am, Saturday, December 10, 2022, in Eastlawn Memorial Park, under the direction of Heartland Funeral Home. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday evening from 6:00 until 8:00.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Brownwood Public Library.
Condolences, memories, and tributes can be offered to the Fourment family at heartlandfuneralhome.com.
