Arthur Edward Girard Sr.

Arthur Edward Girard, Sr. of Griswold CT passed away peacefully on June 11, 2024 surrounded by loved ones.  He was born on April 26, 1937 in Enfield, CT to Arthur and Yvonne Girard, two Quebec immigrants who came to the US to work in a major Connecticut carpet factory in Enfield.  He was married to Loretta Nellie (Squires) for 58 wonderful years until her death in 2018.

Arthur spent his youth in Enfield with his older brothers Eugene and Lawrence and his lifetime friend, Tom O’Bram who lived in the same 4-family house as Arthur.  Tom had an adventurous spirit and nudged Arthur to do things that he otherwise wouldn’t dare try, like performing on stage as a song and dance team in a variety show (complete with tuxedos, top hats, and canes) and participating in a field goal kicking contest which he shocked himself by winning.  With his brothers Larry and Gene, Arthur was a bugler in a few different drum and bugle corps in Enfield.  His youthful summers were spent working hard in the Enfield tobacco fields, earning piecemeal wages hauling bales of tobacco and enjoying the comradery of friends riding the bus to and from the fields. As a seventh grader, Arthur dreamed of being the starting goalie for the Toronto Maple Leafs and while he did play youth hockey and high school baseball, fate had other plans for him.  By the time he graduated from Enfield High School, other dreams had taken root.

Arthur started his undergraduate education as a chemistry major at the University of Connecticut but after taking an Introduction to Microbiology course at the University of Connecticut he discovered his passion for the subject.  Microbiology became one of the passions that guided and sustained him for the rest of his life.  He completed his BA degree in Bacteriology in 1958 and immediately enrolled in the Master’s program at UCONN.  While pursuing his Masters , Arthur met the secretary of a Humanities professor named Loretta Squires, who had a beautiful, kind smile and laughed at his jokes.  Arthur had discovered a second passion in his life and he and Loretta were married on campus at St. Thomas Aquinas on June 18, 1960.  In those early student days Arthur and Loretta made their first home in a tiny makeshift apartment with no heat except for the electric blanket that they slept under.

Arthur had completed the ROTC program at UCONN and in 1961 he was called up to active duty in the US Army after completing his MS in Bacteriology. He and Loretta moved to Alabama where he was stationed as a Lieutenant in the Army Chemical Corps.  It was an eventful 2 years in Alabama with the birth of their first child Lynn in 1961 and their second child Arthur Jr. in 1962.  Arthur always felt fortunate that he never had to experience combat (as his brothers had in WW II and Korea) but did feel the weight of the tense Cuban Missiles Crisis, when his unit was put on high alert in case an invasion of Cuba was ordered.

After completing his military service, Arthur moved his family to Rahway, New Jersey where he worked for 2.5 years at Merck. During this time Arthur determined that his work as a lab technician was not satisfying to him, and he made the fateful decision again to follow his passion and pursue a Ph.D. in Microbiology, also at UCONN.  In a somewhat less fruitful decision, Arthur became a loyal fan of the New York Mets (which were formed in 1962) while he was living in New Jersey. He attended both the first and last games ever played at Shea Stadium and laughed when he recalled that they lost both games.

Returning to Storrs to pursue his Ph.D, Arthur was mentored by Dr. Ben Consenza at UCONN whom he came to admire not only as a scientist but as one of the most honorable and honest people he had ever met.  During his Ph.D. studies, Arthur and Loretta were blessed with the arrival of their third child, Lisa, during a heavy March snowstorm.  After completing his Ph.D. in Microbiology, Arthur was an Assistant Professor of Microbiology and member of the first faculty of the UCONN Health Center (Medical-Dental School).  It was during this time, that Arthur and Loretta celebrated the birth of their youngest child, Andrew.  Somehow amidst a growing family and a demanding job, Arthur was one of the founders of Friendship House in Enfield, a pioneering effort to locate orphaned children to a group home environment at a time when the failures of orphanages were evident and other innovative options were being explored to provide a better home environment.

In 1973 Arthur accepted a position at Pfizer and moved his family one final time to Griswold, CT.  During Arthur’s 26-year career at Pfizer he flourished as a microbiologist, working on the primary discovery and development of new antibacterial agents. He was a significant contributor to the discovery and development of 4 Pfizer antibiotics: Cefobid, Unasyn, Azithromycin (Zithromax) and Trovsfloxacin. In the process he published and presented countless publications and traveled all over the world (in his lifetime he traveled to every continent except South America and Antarctica). In 2000, on behalf of the Pfizer Zithromax team, Arthur received the American Chemical Society’s “Heroes of Chemistry 2000” award, presented to him by Former General and Secretary of State Colin Powell.  Not bad for a former lieutenant in the Army Chemical Corps to receive a chemistry award from General Powell.

Arthur’s professional accomplishments during these years were only part of his life story.  He was a tireless servant of the Griswold community.  During his 50 years as a member of St. Mary’s parish in Jewett City he served in multiple choirs (Arthur was blessed with a strong, beautiful singing voice), as a lector (and lector trainer), a eucharistic minister, and helped with a variety of fund raisers with the church.  Tom O’Bram’s seeds of stage performance took root with Arthur’s founding of the Griswold Players community theater group.  He performed memorable roles in their productions of “Arsenic and Old Lace”, “Don’t Drink the Water”, and “South Pacific”.  In addition to acting on stage, Arthur was involved with nearly every aspect of the Griswold Players productions.  He also performed in the Pfizer Players productions of “The Music Man” and “Brigadoon”, all this while thriving in his “day job” and raising a family with Loretta.  Arthur also was active in STEM (Science Tech Engineering Math) outreach programs to local schools through the Pfizer SMART program and his own initiatives at Griswold public schools. One of his favorite activities through these programs was to bring his microscope to schools dressed as the 17th century microbiologist Antoine van Leeuwenhoek, combining his passions for theater and microbiology.

Arthur retired from Pfizer in 2000 and poured his efforts into a variety of activities, always generous with his time and resources: serving on the board of directors of the Slater Library, volunteering to prepare taxes for seniors through AARP, assistant teaching in Griswold schools, singing with his church choir and community choruses as well as a folk group at senior centers.

But none of this truly captures what a wonderful person Arthur Girard was.  He was the type of person that lifted the spirits of everyone when he walked into a room.  His sense of humor was legendary, and his impulse was to entertain and joke with anyone who happened to be in front of him.  He encouraged curiosity and the ability to think independently, two fundamental elements of himself that he constantly sought to develop in others.  Arthur was always young at heart, thriving on any opportunity to play or try something new.  He actively sought out those less fortunate showing in simple but meaningful ways that he saw them as human beings and did everything he could to lighten their load.

When you thought you had seen him at his finest, he managed to showed even greater strengths. In Loretta’s later years, she slowly succumbed to the ravages of dementia and Arthur diligently and lovingly served as her primary caretaker in their home.  His care for her was so moving and beautiful to see; knowing how much that terrible disease was robbing from both of them, he was an inspiration to everyone who knew of her struggle.  Arthur simply did not let anyone down ever.  He made Loretta laugh; that it is why she fell in love with him and why she remained in love with him for all of her days.

Looking back on such an accomplished life with so much in which to take pride, with tremendous humility Arthur would say he was simply very lucky in life.  As you have read here, there may have been some element of luck involved, but the true factors that influenced his success were an unflinching pursuit of his passions, hard work, commitment to service to others, compassion, and love.   An incredibly humble man, he saved his pride to shower on his children (Lynn Gouvin, Arthur Girard Jr., Lisa Armstrong, Andrew Girard) and grandchildren (Michael Girard, Sarah Armstrong, Emma Armstong, Brian Gouvin, Matthew Gouvin, Olivia Girard, Benjamin Girard) whom he loved to the depths of his soul.

One of Arthur’s favorite spots to visit was Point Judith in Narragansett, RI.  He and Loretta would go often to gaze at the ocean and the Coast Guard lighthouse.  For everyone close to Arthur, it feels as though this magnificent lighthouse which has reliably guided us safely through the storms and troubles of life has dimmed for the last time.  But his vast legacy continues through his children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends, former colleagues, students, beneficiaries of his charitable works and donations, and the millions who have had their lives saved by the medicines that Arthur worked to develop.  His light shines on.

Calling hours will be held at Gagne-Piechowski Funeral Home, 490 Voluntown Rd, Griswold CT on Thursday June 20th 5-7PM

A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial to be held at St Mary’s Church, 34 N Main St, Jewett City , CT on Friday, June 21st at 10AM

In lieu of flowers please consider a contribution to your favorite charity in Arthur’s memory.

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