John Edwin Arpe Jr.

John was born in Milwaukee, WI to John Arpe, Sr. and Germaine Arpe, nee Brever, in 1945, and raised in nearby Elm Grove, WI. After graduating from Marquette High School, he matriculated at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA; after many journeys as a young man, he would later return to and spend most of his adult life in Massachusetts.

After completing his undergraduate degree, he went on to earn his MBA at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. In 1969, he enlisted in the United States Navy and spent the next 18 months as the supply officer on a ship in the Mediterranean Sea, where he developed a life-long love of European culture. He received an honorable discharge at the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade in 1971, and married Sheila O'Brien of Newton, MA.

John and Sheila moved to New York City for John to start his banking career. It was here they also started a family, Sheila giving birth to their first two children. While working in the shipping division at Bank of America, an opportunity arose to be transferred to the bank's office in the Netherlands. John and Sheila and their children spent the next nine years living in the Netherlands and, later, London, UK. Their third child was born in the Netherlands.

In 1985, they decided to return to the United States, and settled in Duxbury, where Sheila taught first grade while John tried out a stint as a stockbroker, before later returning to the banking sector. All three of their children would graduate from Duxbury High.

In 2000, John was diagnosed with lymphoma and began chemotherapy. He made a full recovery, the cancer went into remission, and John resumed his passion for marathon running and competitive triathlon.

With the children fully grown, John and Sheila moved to the South End neighborhood in Boston to enjoy their retirement years. John later developed Parkinson's disease, and they eventually moved to a retirement community, first in Peabody, MA, then in Philadelphia, PA, where their family could take a greater role in John's increasing care needs. Sheila passed away this past January, and John's decline accelerated. They were married for 55 years.

John is survived by his three children Colin, Charlie and Kevin; grandchildren Penelope, Cassandra, Luma and Niall; his older brother James and younger sisters Christine and Janet.

A Funeral Mass will be held Friday, 13th of March at 11:00 am, at St. Margaret's Church: 141 Main St, Buzzards Bay, MA 02532, followed by a burial at 12:45 pm at Massachusetts National Cemetery