YARMOUTH — Arthur “Art” Marquis, 87, longtime resident of Bowdoinham Road, Lisbon Falls, died peacefully on Friday, Feb. 25, surrounded by loved ones.

He was born July 13, 1923, in Lisbon Falls, to the late Paul N. and Irene E. (Dumas) Marquis. Educated in the Lisbon Falls school system, he graduated from Lisbon Falls High School in 1941, and later attended the Northeastern School of Accounting in Portland, from 1949 to 1951.

Enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps along with his brother, Renee Marquis, in August 1942, he proudly served his country until April 1946.

In 1945, he met Ernestine “Tina” Marvel of Delmar, Md., while she was playing the piano at a community center at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va. They were married on March 30, 1945. In 1946, they moved to Lisbon Falls to raise their family. They were married 64 years.

Art was employed at the Worumbo Mill and U.S. Gypsum for a short period and also worked with his father as a painting contractor. In 1955, he began his employment at the U.S. Naval Air Station in Brunswick, (BNAS) which lasted until his retirement in 1982. During his 27 years at the BNAS, he advanced from security police officer to painter to planner/estimator. Over the years, Art received numerous letters of appreciation from the commanding officer for his outstanding work in support of the annual open house activities and air shows.

In the early 1960s, Art and his wife were the proprietors of Tina’s, a pizza and sandwich shop on Main Street in Lisbon Falls. Many local families and teens frequented the shop to enjoy the pizzas, sandwiches, jukebox and lively conver­sation. He spent nights and weekends at the shop, while holding down his day job at the BNAS.

Art never slowed down in his retirement years. He returned to the BNAS to work part-time maintaining base housing. He could never turn down the frequent requests he received from friends and neighbors to paint a house, or install a new roof. He loved going dancing with his wife, flea marketing and frequenting yard sales. He enjoyed stamp and coin collecting, gardening, restoring furniture and was an instructor of a chair caning course at the local high school adult education program. Although never having received any formal training, he was a talented painter and produced beautiful works of local land­scapes and scenery.

He was an active lifelong member of the American Legion Post 66 of Lisbon Falls and a member of the Lisbon Falls Historical Society. He served on the Lisbon Falls High School Alumni Committee and was instrumental in coordinating alumni fundraisers for local student scholarships. Well-known in the community, he often participated in numerous community events.

Art loved children and was always on the lookout for some toy or book that he thought a child would enjoy. He was a loving and engaged father and grandfather. In the early years, he planned frequent trips and adventures for his family and in later years, was often to be found on a nature hike with his grandchildren. He loved all animals and was determined none would go hungry; he was rewarded for his efforts by frequent visits from turkeys, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, rabbits, deer, dogs and cats.

Art is survived by his son, Thomas Marquis and wife, Lorna; his daughter-in-law, Sandy Marquis, both of Lisbon Falls; his daughter, Wendy Roper and her husband, Brian, of Gilford, N.H.; a sister, Paula Boyll of Lewiston; four grand­children, Eric and Todd Marquis, Justin Roper and Chelsea Marquis; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his wife, Tina Marquis; three sons, Jeffrey, Todd and Tracey Marquis; and three brothers, Renee, Robert and Jean.

You are invited to share memories and offer condolences to Arthur’s family by visiting his guest book at www.crosmanfuneralhome.com.