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<p><em>Arthur Edward “Art” Judson</em> was ushered into this world on October 21, 1937 in Ann Arbor, MI. He departed on July 22, 2021 in Sarasota, FL. During that nearly 84-year period, he built for himself exactly what he lacked in his formative days, a stable, close-knit, functional family. This was a self-made man.</p>
<p>Born to William and Helen (nee) Foley Judson, his early years found him in the Detroit area, briefly to Picatinny Arsenal after his father returned from World War II, and then back to Detroit. After bouncing around several parochial elementary schools, he applied for, and was accepted into, the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy, from which he graduated in 1956. Based on his high academic standing, he sought an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy and was accepted as a qualified alternate from Michigan that year. Left unsaid is the fact that he literally pulled himself through the process, working double shifts to pay for the schooling, studying on the long bus rides from boarding homes, then securing, largely on his own, the appointment to West Point. He graduated in 1960.</p>
<p>Academically, a solid, if not exceptional, student, his primary interests lay in the area of personal, intellectual contacts. He excelled in debating and participated in the fields of information and public relations, attributes that greatly contributed to success in later life. He was a pistol marksman and an accomplished skier, self-taught skills.</p>
<p>On graduation day, June 8, 1960, on the Plain at West Point, Art made a career determining promise to his bride-to-be, Gwen Thimm, that it would be three years and out. Branching Artillery, he began a schooling path that led to assignment in a Nike Hercules battery in the San Francisco area, part of the 40th Artillery Brigade. During the schooling sojourn, Art chose to challenge the “system” at several key points, not fully realizing the system was not built to lose challenges by lieutenants. In the midst of this, Art and Gwen married the day after Christmas, 1960. After two years with the 40th Artillery Brigade, Art made good on his promise to Gwen.</p>
<p>Upon leaving active duty, Art found employment with Campbell Soup Company in Napoleon, OH and remained with the organization for two years before making another life determining decision, to return to Detroit with no job in hand. In his own words, purely by chance he was swept into the commercial property insurance sector, which became his life calling. He and Gwen were also building their family: Jeff in 1962, John in 1965 and Jason in 1969. Within six years, Art became the youngest vice president of Alexander & Alexander, handling their General Motors account. Nine years later he moved from the retail side of commercial insurance to the wholesale side (e.g., Lloyds Brokerage) with moves from Detroit to Chicago and back to the Detroit area. He truly loved the insurance business.</p>
<p>Still, in times of stress, and in dealing with adversity, it was his West Point background that provided the solid bedrock upon which he relied. As part of that payback, he served in various capacities with the West Point Society of Michigan for over 17 years. </p>
<p>In 2018, Art retired from the insurance business, and he and Gwen moved permanently to the Aravilla Sarasota Retirement facility. The move was necessary to address Gwen’s dementia care needs, as well as to break from north country winters. Art suffered a fall in his apartment at Aravilla on May 24, breaking several vertebrae, a health issue from which he did not recover. </p>
<p>Art felt great pride in his accomplishments in the insurance field, believing his work contributions made a positive difference. He felt even greater pride in his family, his marriage to Gwen, and the development of three successful sons in the world of business, sons who brought to him six grandchildren upon whom to dote. “Well done,” Art Judson. Godspeed, and “Be Thou at Peace.” </p>
<p><em>— Family and classmates</em></p>
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