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Col. John Frederick Arfman (US Army-Ret), 92, passed away on Saturday, March 13, 2004, in his sleep of natural causes. He was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Elizabeth Ann, in 1997. John was born in New York City on April 5, 1911, graduated from James Monroe High School in NYC in 1929 and went on to attend the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, graduating in 1933 with a degree in Civil Engineering and a commission in the U.S. Army Reserve. After working for Consolidated Edison Co. in his home town of New York City, he accepted an active duty commission in the regular Army in 1938. During the early part of World War II, he helped form and train new engineering battalions throughout the country. While stationed in Boise, Idaho in 1943, he met his wife-to-be, Elizabeth Ann "Ban" Barber, and were married in Greenville, SC, on September 23, 1943. Soon thereafter, John deployed to the Pacific theater where he spent most of his time building airfields and military bases. After the war ended, he was assigned to the Military Advisory Group in Manila, Philippine Islands where his wife joined him in 1946. It was in the Philippines where their first child, John Jr., was born in 1948. Two more sons, Richard Lee and Frederick Christopher, followed in Iowa City, IA, in 1950 and 1951, and daughters, Susan Leigh in New Orleans in 1953 and Joanne Lynn in Albuquerque in 1961. John's last assignment before retiring in 1963 was as the Chief Engineer, Albuquerque District, for the Corps of Engineers. After retiring from the Army, he worked for a private company and then for the State of New Mexico as the Chief Engineer of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District. In 1972, he retired for good. John is survived by his son, John and his wife, Peggy of Albuquerque; son, Richard, his wife, Kim and daughters, Katie and Maggie of Augusta, GA; son, Fred, his wife, Karen and sons, Calvin and Jake of Albuquerque; daughter, Susan of Albuquerque; and daughter, Joanne Chaplin, her husband, Douglas and children, Justin and Victoria of Rio Rancho, NM. "The Colonel," will be dearly remembered by his children, grandchildren, friends and neighbors. The family would also like to thank all the wonderful angels at both Crossroads Hospice and Maxim Healthcare who helped to fill John's last days with compassion, love, and caring. Services will be held Thursday, March 18, 2004 at 10:30 a.m., at French Mortuary, Wyoming Blvd. Chapel, interment will follow at 1:00 p.m. at Santa Fe National Cemetery. Friends may visit French Mortuary Wyoming Blvd. Chapel on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association, the Salvation Army, or the March of Dimes. French Mortuary 7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE 823-9400
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