Arthur L. Fanto, died peacefully Dec. 4, 2012, in Rathdrum. He was 100 years old. He was born May 8, 1912, to Italian immigrants Rose and Joe Fanto in Durango, Colo.

During and after high school Art worked a variety of jobs in the Durango area which included delivering coal from a horse drawn cart, managing a drug store, selling insurance, working in coal and gold mines, as a railroad employee and photographer.

On Dec. 11, 1938, he married local Durango girl, Eleanor Olbert. This was one of three marriage ceremonies they would celebrate in the course of their married life. Art and Eleanor migrated to San Diego with best friends Larry and Jessie Rae Lynch in 1940 where he worked for Convair building airplanes for the war effort. In 1946 they purchased 80 acres of land in Hemet, Calif., and during the next 30 years they farmed the acreage and raised turkeys. Encinitas, Calif., became their retirement home in 1976. Eleanor died in 1996 and Art moved to Generations Assisted Living in Rathdrum in 2008.

Art is preceded in death by his parents; wife Eleanor; brother Nick; sisters, Mary and Louise; and special family member, Arthur Patscheck. He is survived by daughter Krystie Robbins (Jim) of Coeur d’Alene; grandchildren, Darian (Patricia) Robbins of Meridian, Eryn (Petar) Bujosevic of Portland, Ore.; great-grandchildren, Tate, Quinn and Maci Robbins. Also surviving him are special family members, Stanley (Valerie) Patscheck, Leland (Dorothy) Patscheck, Raymond (Angie) Patscheck and Kay Patscheck of California.

Arthur will be especially remembered as he followed in the footsteps of service to others established by his mother Rose. After retirement he made several mission trips to Mexico and volunteered in many ways at his church. He was a humble, kind and generous man.

The family would like to thank the wonderful, caring staff and residents of Generations Assisted Living who became a big and valuable part of Art’s life during the four years he resided there. A memorial service and celebration of his life will be held at Generations at a later date.