Earl “Printy” Arthur

Earl “Printy” Arthur passed from this life into the outstretched arms of the Almighty Creator and of his wife, Jo Ann Enger, on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023.

Printy was born in 1924 in Sherwood to Methodist minister Rev. Edward Lowell and Edith Printy Arthur. They raised four children, Bill (Jane), Evie (Paul Ziegler), Printy (Jo), and Betty (Cecil Moore), in northwestern Ohio. Printy graduated from Arlington High School in 1942 where he sang, studied trombone, and played on conference champion football and basketball teams coached by Harold Castor.

Printy enlisted in U.S. Navy in March, 1943, training as a Hospital Corpsman. He was awarded five battle stars for his participation in amphibious landings at Saipan, Peleliu, Leyte Gulf, Linguyan Gulf, and Okinawa. After the war, Printy returned to Bowling Green State University where he continued his trombone and choral conducting studies, graduating with two degrees in music. He was a charter member of Epsilon Eta Chapter of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity, having made life-long friends.

At BG, Printy met his future wife, Jo Ann Enger, of Mount Healthy. Jo and Printy were blessed with five children, Michael (Laurie), Jennifer (Ron) Meyer, David (Patricia), Matthew, and Laura (Carl) Stewart. They raised their family in Port Clinton, Perrysburg, Tampa, and Raleigh, retiring to Perrysburg in 1992. Jo and Printy (GG and GPop) shared over 70 years of family, love, and precious memories. They traveled to all 50 states, Mexico, Hong Kong, Europe, and Canada, and were drawn back numerous times to the British Isles and Jo’s beloved Yorkshire. Printy was thrilled when Jo earned her BA in International Studies with Honors in 1985 at University of South Florida. The richness of their lives is passed along through 12 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and a wonderful extended family. With love and gratitude, our family thanks Chris Carlton for her tremendous love and support for Printy and Jo in the last years of their lives.

Music was a special part of Printy’s life, beginning as a “preacher’s kid” singing in his father’s church choirs. Arlington High School band and men’s quartet, BGSU’s first Big Band in 1942, the Admiral’s Blue Jacket Choir and 40 Voice Choir at Great Lakes Naval training and after Okinawa, lead trombone in U.S. Navy Big Band in Hawai’i. Choir work was a passion, studying under Dr. J. P. Kennedy at BGSU and for 16 years, he directed choirs in McComb, Port Clinton, and Perrysburg. Printy joined the Toledo jazz scene, playing trombone gigs at Ragtime Rick’s and Rusty’s Jazz Club and sitting with BGSU Jazz Lab Band.

What a wonderful life, such precious memories.

For those wishing to honor Jo and Printy, please keep Toledo Calvary Church in Maumee, Hospice of NW Ohio, and Honorflight.org in mind.

No service is currently planned, but please email Mike Arthur at 58caliber@gmail.com with thoughts and to be updated.