Dr. John E. Arford, 83, of Warsaw, Ind. passed away at 9 p.m. Thursday, May 16, 2013, in Millers Merry Manor, Warsaw.

He was born Sept. 28, 1929, in Washington, Ind., to Alva and Trula (Johnson) Arford. On Sept. 18, 1954, he married Harriet (Rockhill) Arford in Warsaw, who survives.

John graduated from Washington High School in Washington, attended and graduated from Indiana Uniiversity and Indiana University School of Medicine in 1955. He then joined the U.S. Navy, serving his country as a medical doctor from 1957 through 1959 in San Francisco, Calif.

He returned to Warsaw in 1959 and opened his family practice from March of 1959 through 1973.  John joined a group of doctors in 1973 and formed Parkview Emergency Physicians where he practiced until 1987. It was then that John opened the Occupational Health Service in the Center-Center Shopping Center, Warsaw. He retired from his career as a family doctor in 1993.

John loved ballroom dancing, creating oil paintings and fishing. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, Warsaw; Scottish Rite, Fort Wayne, Ind.; and Shriners’ Club as a “Jesters” member. He was also a member of Delta Epsilon Social Society at Indiana University, Elkhart Royal Order of the Moose, Lake Tippecanoe Country Club, Columbia Club of Indianapolis, Orchard Ridge Country Club, The United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers and Rozella Ford Country Club. He also had a dance membership at the Cloister, Sea Island, Ga., and the Greenbrier, White Sulfur Springs, W.V.

John enjoyed and loved his family and church, he and Harriet attended as members of the United Methodist Church, Warsaw where he was on multiple committees along with multiple bible studies.

John is survived by his wife: Harriet Arford, Tippecanoe Lake; one daughter: Rebecca (Dick) Arford–Smith, Columbia City, Ind.; two sons: John Stephen (Linnea) Arford, Fort Wayne; and Michael Vincent (Jan) Arford, Leesburg, Ind.; seven grandchildren: Heather (Adam) Harter, Fort Campbell, Ky.; Jared (Julie) Arford, Fishers, Ind.; Kaitlyn Arford, Muncie, Ind.; Michaela Arford, Leesburg; Laura Arford, Leesburg; William Arford, Leesburg; and Mackenzie Arford, Fort Wayne; four great-grandchildren: Rilley, Hayden, Wyatt and Madison; and a sister: Kathleen Utley, Evansville, Ind.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters: Vivian Brown and Carol Rose Prater; and a granddaughter: Madilan Arford.

Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, May 19, at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Warsaw. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, May 20, at First United Methodist Church, Warsaw with Pastor Scott Carmer officiating. Burial will be in Leesburg Cemetery, Leesburg.

Memorial contributions may be made to Warsaw Christian School, 909 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw, IN 46580; First United Methodist Church, 179 S. Indiana Ave., Warsaw, IN 46580; or to Animal Welfare League, 3489 E. 100 S., Warsaw, IN 46582.

To sign the guest register or send condolences, electronically go to
mchattonsadlerfuneralchapels.com.