Arthur L. Shiffrar ’50, 89, of Fremont, CA, died Easter Sunday, March 27, 2016. Born in Nipomo, CA, in 1926, Arthur was the sixth of Mary Buda Shiffrar and Joseph Shiffrar’s 12 children. From an early age, he adored the bounty of the Central Coast, enjoying hunting, rock hounding, fishing, and clamming.
Arthur graduated from Arroyo Grande High School and served as a Navy ship mechanic in the Pacific during World War II. With the help of a football scholarship and the GI Bill, Arthur graduated with a degree in business administration from Santa Clara University. In 1949, he married his long time sweetheart, Ruth Walsh. They settled in Fremont, where they lived for 50 years.
Ruth and Arthur enjoyed a wonderful life. With family and friends, they celebrated with laughter, drinks, tall tales, and Santa Maria-style BBQ. They traveled the world, most notably to Slovenia where they created new bonds with Arthur’s extended family.
Arthur established Art’s Cart Trucking in 1960. As the company grew, he mentored many young drivers. Art’s Cart trucks could be seen throughout California for nearly 30 years. Ruth and Arthur also established and successfully ran Gen Mar, a bed frame manufacturing company.
While he loved driving, especially sports cars, deer hunting was Arthur’s lifelong passion. He hunted simply, with an old rifle, a rich knowledge of animal behavior, and a desire for a clean shot. In later years, he enjoyed attending antique truck shows.
Arthur was pre-deceased by his wife, Ruth, and three siblings (Mary, Donald, and Joe). Arthur is survived by his daughters, Margaret and Genevieve, by Donna Boomershine, his companion in later life, by many siblings (Martin, Louise, George, Harold, Betty, Dolores, Barbara, and Richard) and by dozens of nieces and nephews.