Arthur Inman

Arthur Frank Inman passed away peacefully following a long illness on Wednesday November 24, 2021.  For the past two years he and his wife Betty had made their home at Bermuda Village Retirement Community, Bermuda Run, North Carolina, to be near their daughter. Mr. Inman was born on February 15, 1936 in Trenton, New Jersey to Arthur Letts Inman and Olive Moore Inman.  On June 14, 1958 he married his friend and co-worker, Betty Lee Bowman, at the Congress Heights Baptist Church in Washington, DC. Mr. Inman was preceded in death by his father, mother and sister Margaret Ella Inman. Left to cherish his memory are his wife Betty, daughter Margaret Reavis (Charles); granddaughter Katherine (Brandon) and grandchildren Emery and Grady Mygrant of Brownsburg, Indiana; granddaughter Sarah Reavis (Garrett) of Wilmington, North Carolina. At the age of 18 he enlisted in the US Navy where he was honored to be a Plank Owner, member of the first crew to commission the naval aircraft carrier USS Forrestall (CV-59).  He served in the Special Weapons Unit. His next service assignment took him to the Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, DC where he served as aide to General Alfred D. Starbird, Director of Military Applications.  He remained in that position until completing his full 7-year active military duty. Following his military service, he took advantage of the GI Bill studying at the International Institute of Architecture and Interior Design in Washington, DC.  After completing a 2-year program, he joined the visual merchandising design team at the Hecht Company in Washington DC.  His work in major displays included animated Christmas scenes, holiday events and Disney movie animations.  He remembered vividly and sadly setting up the memorial window directly after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963.  In 1965 Mr. Inman accepted a position with Montgomery Ward and Co., he relocated his family to Fredericksburg, VA where he was manager of display and design while travelling to surrounding states setting up new stores in VA, MD, WV, and PA.  Desiring to remain in the Fredericksburg area, he went to work at the Marine Corps Exchange at Quantico, VA where he continued as manager until his retirement in 1995. He and his wife retired to Wytheville, VA.  As active members, the Wytheville Presbyterian Church became the center of his spiritual and social life.  He garnered great joy from his service and fellowship there. A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, December 9, 2021 at 1 p.m. at the Wytheville Presbyterian Church, Wytheville VA.  Dr. John DiYorio will officiate at the service.  A private burial will be held at East End Cemetery, Wytheville, VA. Memorial gifts may be made to Wytheville Presbyterian Church, 285 Church Street, Wytheville, VA 24382.