Arthur Will Wade

Arthur Will Wade was born on April 7, 1938 to the late Arlena Price and Sherman Wade in Henry County (Flippin, Georgia). Arthur started grade school at Mt. Olive Baptist Church in 1943 – the school was closed more than opened. Arthur and his brother Forrest were ‘informally’ home schooled by their great grandmother, grandmother and aunt. By 1945, they both were able to read the newspaper, could add, subtract, multiply and divide numbers. In 1946, Arthur enrolled in Henry County Training School as a third grader when the family moved to McDonough, Georgia. In 1947, he was skipped to the fourth grade and later finished the 5th and 6th grades. The family eventually settled in Atlanta Georgia where Arthur completed Crogman Elementary School in 1950 and graduated from Washington High School in 1955. He received an academic scholarship to Morehouse College – the only scholarship awarded to a student from the Pittsburg and Mechanicsville Communities. In 1960, he graduated from Morehouse College with a B.A., in English. He was very proud to become the first person from both sides of his family to graduate from college. While attending Morehouse College, Arthur worked at the U. S. Post Office. During this time he provided financial support so that his brother Forrest could attend Tuskegee College. In 1961, he moved to Los Angeles, California and served in the U.S. Air Force where he was stationed at March AFB, Riverside & Clark AFB, Phillipines. He was employed as a Social Worker for the City of San Francisco for over 20 years. Arthur loved the Lord, and during his healthy years, he could be found in somebody’s church on Sunday morning. He was baptized at Mt. Bethel Baptist Church and later joined Shiloh Baptist Church. Upon moving to Atlanta, he united Ariel Bowen Methodist Church and later with Holleman Methodist Church. In California he became very active in Glide Memorial Methodist Church with civic and social programs. In later years, he moved back to Atlanta, where he worked as Substitute Teacher for the Atlanta Public Schools until his health begin to decline. Arthur truly had a giving spirit and a passion for the arts and helping others. He definitely had style and class. He especially loved his niece Angel and nephews, Duke (Forrest, Jr.) and Brandon. Arthur was ushered into His presence on Friday, October 23, 2015. He was preceded in death by his parents, Sherman and Arlena Wade, sister, Juanita. He leaves to cherish a lifetime of memories brothers, Forrest (Ann) Wade, Sherman Wade, sisters, Jeanette Turner, Carolyn Wade Thorpe, Beverly Michelle Wade, niece, Angel Wade Okrah, nephews, Forrest (Claudia) Wade, Jr. and Brandon (Princess) Thorpe, other relatives and friends. That stutter and grin will be forever missed!

Arthur Will Wade

April 4, 1938 - October 23, 2015