Arthur Stephen Moles

Arthur Stephen Moles was born in El Paso, Texas on November 19, 1923, to parents Hunter Stephen Moles and Pauline Warner Moles, who at the time lived 50 miles away in Las Cruces, New Mexico. A week later, he and his mom traveled by train to Las Cruces to join his father and two brothers. When he was three, the family, which now included a baby sister, moved to Chicago, Illinois, and two years later they moved again, this time to Baton Rouge, which became Arthur’s lifetime home. Arthur grew up in the Bernard Terrace section of town, attending Bernard Terrace Elementary School and the L.S.U. Laboratory School. He went on to enroll for one year at L.S.U. where he studied music (piano) and enlisted in ROTC. After a year, he transferred to University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, making the trek by hitchhiking after his father dropped him by the side of the road somewhere near Hammond. His time in Illinois was short because he was called upon to serve the country in WWII. Arthur did basic training, office preparation, and Officer Candidate School at Camp Barkeley outside of Abilene, Texas. He graduated from OCS just before his 20th birthday and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He served as a medical administrative officer (medic) in Europe as a member of the 87th Infantry Division of the Army until the war ended in 1945. Arthur then resumed his studies at L.S.U. graduating in 1949. In 1948, he married Jimmy Lea Harvey, to whom he remained married until her death in 1988. In the early years of their marriage and after Arthur’s graduation from college, he first attended medical school for two years and then moved to Little Rock, Arkansas to work for the Ames Pharmaceutical Company. As a sales representative for Ames, he drove the roads of Arkansas and northeast Texas, often with Jimmy Lea at his side—at least until they had their first child in 1953, a daughter whom they named Melissa Wood (called Lissa). A short time later, inspired by a suggestion from Jimmy Lea, Arthur entered the Loyola University dental school in New Orleans. While in dental school, he and Jimmy Lea had their second child, this time a boy, Stephen Brook. Upon completion of his dental studies, the couple returned to Baton Rouge and Arthur began a dental practice that lasted 43 years, from 1957 to 2000. He delighted in his work, and especially his patients and the people who assisted him, whom he regarded as extended family. Often when they completed a job to his satisfaction, he’d sing out “Good show!” Among his many beloved patients were students referred to him by the East Baton Rouge Parish school system whose families could not afford dental care. These he cared for without charge. While practicing dentistry, he and Jimmy Lea raised their small family, which was completed with the birth of their second son, Michael Blair, in 1960. In retirement, Arthur enjoyed tending to his yard, having coffee with church friends, going on dates with close friends, and, especially, spending time with his kids and grandkids. Ever a devoted father and full of boisterous energy, he brought much excitement, love, and joy into their lives. He died surrounded by Mike and his wife Aimee, Lissa, and Brook on Friday, August 13. The Christian faith played a large role in Arthur’s life, guiding much of what he believed and practiced. He was a long-time member of the Methodist church, particularly University United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge. Arthur was also a Kiwanian and took pride in his perfect attendance of meetings that lasted more than 50 years. Arthur was preceded in death by his wife Jimmy Lea, his parents Hunter and Pauline, two brothers, Walton and Robert Moles, and his sister, Levergne Fogleman. He is survived by Lissa, her husband, John Hair, their son Harper Hair, and their daughter Brooke Hair; by Brook, his wife, Jill Moles, and their son, Nathan Moles; and by Mike, Aimee, and their three sons, Sean, Karl, and Jack Moles. A service will be held at University United Methodist Church. Due to the COVID virus, the service will be limited to family members. In lieu of flowers the family asks that a donation be made to the Jimmy Lea Moles scholarship fund at LSU or a charity of your choice. Gifts to the scholarship may be made through the LSU Foundation website by specifying the name of the scholarship in the comments area of the donation form.