Artis T. Lofton

Artis T. Lofton, 64, went to be with his savior on Thursday, April 21, 2016. He was born on April 8, 1952 to Floyd and Mozella Lofton. He married Clara Garrett on May 17, 1975. LTC(R) Artis Lofton was born in Forrest City, Arkansas. He lived in Heth, Ark. and finished high school in Hughes, Arkansas. He received his BS degree in Biology and a Regular Army commission in the Infantry at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He received a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Webster College. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army's Command and General Staff College. As a career Military Officer, he has served in various assignments and positions in the United States, Germany, and Italy. He began his career as a Second Lieutenant in Fort Benning, Georgia where he attended Officer Basic and Advanced Course Training. His first troop assignment was in Fort Ord, California where he served in various leadership positions. At Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Italy, he served as company Commander of an Airborne Light Infantry Company and G-3 Training Officer in the 82nd Airborne Division. In the 1980s, he returned to Arkansas where he served as Assistant Professor of Military Science at UAPB. LTC(R) Lofton was assigned to West Berlin, Germany in October 1984. There he served as Organizational Effectiveness Consultant to the U.S. Commander of Berlin. Next, he served as S3 Operation Officer in the Berlin Infantry Brigade. He was selected and served as Deputy G3 for Operation at Allied Staff in West Berlin. He served as the Battalion Executive Officer of an Infantry Battalion Nuclear Security Force in Neu Ulm, West Germany. He was selected to serve as the Professor of Military Science at Florida Southern College (FSC) in Lakeland, Florida. He was the first African American to serve as a Department Chairman at FSC. After twenty years of active federal military service, he spent eighteen years as a High School teacher/Senior Army Instructor at North Little Rock High School JROTC program. He retired from that position in 2012. LTC(R) Lofton was a very kind, outgoing, and generous man who loved his family and friends very much. He leaves memories with his wife, Clara Lofton; son, Artis T. Lofton, Jr.; parents, Floyd and Mozella Lofton; siblings, Eloise Young, Korryene McArthur, Myrtle Young, Floyd Lofton, Jr., Larry Lofton, Virlean (Robin) Kirkland, Anthony (Joyce) Lofton, Eric (Esoleta) Lofton, and Janet (Ben) Overton; a host of family, colleagues and friends. He was preceded in death by his sister, Paulette Lofton and his brother- in-law, Sam McArthur. Family Hour: Thursday, 10-11 a.m. Funeral: Thursday, 11 a.m. both Saint Mark Baptist Church, Little Rock, Ark. Internment: Friday, 10 a.m., Ark. State Veteran Cemetery, N.L.R. Services entrusted to Robinson Mortuary, 1201 Dr. MLK Drive (501) 374-0111. Sign online guest book at www.robinsonmortuary.com"Service You Can Trust".