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ARTHUR PROCTOR Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for ARTHUR PROCTOR
Tina Lewis
September 24, 2009
Dear Nancy and Family,
Mr.Proctor was a wonderful man. I never remember life before Mr.Proctor. He gave me my 1st job. I will treasure the memories that we shared forever. He was a great friend to me and my family. We will never forget him. All my love. Tina Nielson Lewis
Penney Tyree
September 24, 2009
Art was a schoolmate of my dad (South High) and the two of them kept in touch long after they left South.
I remember, when my brothers and I were young, what a treat it was to go to the movies at the Avalon. Even now, whenever I drive by the theater, I think of the fun we had and how well we were treated.
To Art's family---thank you for sharing Art. May you receive extra blessings when you need them most.
Angie Boyce
September 21, 2009
To Wonderful Ward family, neighbors and friends. Please know of the love and admiration I have for you and your sweetheart Nancy. We (Terri, Emily, Jennifer and Myself) will always feel grateful to be C.E.R.T. Buddies. Lots of Love, Angie
September 20, 2009
Jeff and family, so sorry to hear of your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you
Love, Vickie Piercey Barlow
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Jo Ann Maxwell
September 20, 2009
I will miss my dear friend - who will I talk to now about movies? Art's funeral was wonderful and I enjoyed hearing from his daughters, word and music. And, I especially loved watching the video at the viewing that Natalie put together. Family, you did good in honoring this fine man. Love to all of you.
Maudeen Burton
September 20, 2009
As the days and weeks pass, and as you return to life's routine, may you continue to feel comforted by the love and support of family and friends.
Jean Sharp
September 19, 2009
Iam truly sorry for your loss, Art was a great friend to my dad Les Hughes, I also work with him at the Avallon Theatre. May God be with all of you at this time. My sincere condolences.
Jean(Hughes) Sharp
Brent Peacock
September 19, 2009
Hi Nat and family,
I just want to send you my condolences. Your Dad was a very important person in my life and I will always remember the great times I had at the Avalon. I can still hear the people in the theatre clapping and stamping feet when the film would break. I'm so sorry for your loss. There is a special place in my heart for Mr. Art Proctor.
Karen Sperry
September 19, 2009
We send our condolences to the family. We really enjoyed those old movies at the Avalon, especially :"Scrooge", which has become a family favorite. We even saw Pres. Monson coming out in the lobby after one show!
Utona Moss
September 19, 2009
I will never forget the fond memories I have of Mr. Proctor. I worked for him when he first opened the Vista Theater in Murray. The Sound of Music was the hit of the day. It played of weeks and weeks. I remember the crowds coming to see this wonderful movie and Mr.Proctor always there to welcome the patrons each night. I learned a lot while in this employment. I loved being around you Nancy because I always felt your sweet countenance. Thank you both for the memories of a lifetime.
Utona Hales Moss
A Movie Goer Forever!
September 19, 2009
Growing up in the 50s and 60s, Art was my hero. He brought the “Ward Show” every week to the Forest Dale Ward. He sometimes gave away prizes on the ward’s stage and “plugged” upcoming movies. I would wait for him to drive up so I could help carry in the film from his car to the projection booth. He would give me the cartoon (the smallest of the film cans) to take in as he brought in the big cans.
He was a hard working man. He worked in the film department at Channel 2. In order to raise the money to open the Avalon, he worked side jobs like cleaning up several downtown movie theaters early in the morning before going to his regular job. While I was in high school, I helped him clean the theaters.
When he opened Avalon I was old enough to work there but not old enough to drive. I ran the projectors on school nights until 10 p.m. when Art would take over and Nancy would drive me home. On Friday nights I worked until closing and then would sleep in their apartment, located above the Avalon’s marquee, and Nancy would drop me off at home Saturday morning on her way to her piano lesson in Sugarhouse.
Art was a real entrepreneur. He wanted to show Disney’s “Fantasia” at the Avalon but it was only available in stereo sound. In those days, stereo was not common in theaters. Art made a deal with the owner of another theater to borrow their stereo sound system just so he could show Fantasia. I helped install the equipment.
Then he decided to have live music acts at the Avalon. He made another deal to have a stage built in front of the screen for the bands to play on. Folk music was popular then and so the Avalon had “Hootenanny” and “Rockenanny” on alternate weekends.
Then Art made a deal with a stage hypnotist to put on audience participation shows on certain nights to draw a crowd. One night no one volunteered from the audience to be hypnotized but the show had to go on. Art started calling around and finely got an off-duty employee to come in to be hypnotized. He was a perfect subject and did quite a show while under the spell of the hypnotist. Later he told me he got an A on his school test the next day because the hypnotist told him he would.
Art was a great man who believed great things and did them. He didn’t take no for an answer. Nothing held him back from doing what he believed he could. He taught me many lessons about getting things done and not be afraid to ask for people's help. His influence in my life is a gift I treasure.
My kindest wishes for Nancy, Jeff, Tracy and Natalie at this time of sorrow.
Dave Michelsen
Yorba Linda, California
Richard Hale
September 18, 2009
There are somethings Art struggled to understand but he never lost the faith. I want to in particular mention his great devotion and concern and care he gave his friend Adolph Reich. Art's heart reached deep into the halls of love and he had the pure love of Christ. Now he has stepped out of time and back into eternity - a better world it is for his having been here. The spirit world is now a better place for his being there. May we all take a bit of Art's Touch and use it to make our life a better life.
Richard and Mary Hale
and all the Hale's Angels
September 18, 2009
we love you gramps.
The Grandchildren
j
September 18, 2009
we love you gramps.
The Grandchildren
September 18, 2009
Dear Nancy...We are sorry to hear about the passing of Art. Lowell has known him since kindergarten at Columbus .As we live in St-George we are unable to come up for the funeral.Our thoughts are with you and your family...God bless you all. LOWELL & JOYCE WALKER
Marianne Craven
September 18, 2009
To my Proctor Family,
I am saddened by the loss of a great friend and adopted family member. As I spent many days, months and years in your home, you have truly become part of my family and I feel the loss in my heart. I know Art is happier and would not want to be anywhere else at this time. Know that my love and prayers are with you now and always.
Steve Craven
September 18, 2009
I never knew Art, but the Avalon was one of our favorite retreats - and was our family's means of introducing generations of friends to the "sweaty" movies of the past - especially "It's a Wonderful Life" before it became popular again. To Tracey and her siblings, my warmest regards and prayers.
September 18, 2009
Dear Nancy and family,
Uncle Art was a wonderful person and I will miss the times I went to the Avalon and rented old movies. He always had the best stories. I hope that he and my Grandpa are having a great reunion.
Jennifer (Duncan) Sneddon
(Burt's Granddaughter and Art's great-niece)
Colette C. Geis
September 18, 2009
Dear Natalie,
My sympathy goes out to you and your family. Losing a father and grandfather is a sad time. I lost my dad at the age of 78 in 2001, eight years ago, and I think about him almost every day. Yet, on the other hand, I feel joy knowing he is at peace and patiently waiting for our reunion. May you feel an abundance of love and comfort at this time. Love to you always.
September 18, 2009
Uncle Art was a special person in my life and such an inspiration. I loved going to visit grandma and grandpa on 7th East and helping Art when he would show outdoor movies in the vacant lot.
I remember when Jeff as a missionary visited my home in Indio, California and how proud Nancy Art was of Jeff. Me too.
Art was always so kind to my sister Delores and we all loved him so.
Thanks for being a good example.
JoAnn and Jim DeLaMare, Mesquite, Nevada
James Campos
September 18, 2009
We have lost a wonderful and precious friend.
Art was one of the most proficient historians in the motion picture industry.
"Goodbye sweet prince and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."
September 17, 2009
Dear Nancy and family,
I was so sad to hear of Art's passing and want you to know my thoughts and prayers are with you all at this difficult time. I am going out of town tomorrow (Friday) so will not be here for the viewing or funeral. I wish I could be there but will be thinking of you. May you find peace and comfort in all the wonderful memories and good times you shared through the years.
Love,
Pat Armstrong (Margetts)
September 17, 2009
I have great memories of going to the Avalon theatre almost every week of my life while growing up. Mr. Proctor was always there and was always welcoming us and often telling something of interest about the films we were to see. I still love to watch "old movies" and miss those great Tuesday nights of long ago. He was a great man to keep wonderful, decent movies alive. My thoughts are with his family. "Thanks for the memories".. Jill Jensen (UT)
Becky Poulsen Longson
September 17, 2009
My thoughts and prayers are with all of you. May the Lord bless and comfort you.
Scott D. Labrum
September 17, 2009
He was a friend of my grandfather then a friend of mine. I enjoyed that season that I worked for him as a projectionist at the Avalon Theater way back when.
Brent Schoenfeld
September 17, 2009
Art Proctor was a true class act. He made his community a better place with everything he did. I can think of no better human being than Art in my experience. He is an example for us all to follow. I will keep the memory of his cheerful whistle with me. I'm grateful I knew him.
Scott Lambson
September 17, 2009
I was fortunate to work briefly for
Art as a projectionist at the Avalon and at the Murray. It was something to climb those small stairs at the Avalon and put the movies on the platters. Art was such a nice person. With his raspy voice..he was a joy to talk to. I send my condolences to his family and friends. Until we meet again.
Scot Proctor
September 17, 2009
I am so grateful for the love that I always felt from my precious Uncle Art. I always felt welcome in his home. We often stayed with Art and Nancy in their home and/or visited them when we came from Missouri--and they came to visit us on our farm there in Missouri. That was a great highlight of my growing up years. I loved Uncle Art's sense of values and standards and his use of the old school Hollywood directors to keep those important ideas alive there in the Salt Lake Valley. I love Art. I love Nancy and I love my precious cousins, Jeff, Tracey and Natalie. May the Lord's choicest blessings be upon you all and may you know that Art is rejoicing at this very hour.
On South High!
September 17, 2009
Art was an amazing presence there at the Avalon. I credit my love and knowledge of classic films in part to him. Why, the first time I saw Gone With the Wind was at the Avalon! One night as we chatted after a showing of that great classic, he offered me one of his old movie posters. I still have it, framed in my office.
He was, in many ways, an institution in Salt Lake, and I will remember him with great fondness.
Michael Adams
September 17, 2009
I only knew Art Proctor from his Avalon Theater and then the video store next door, where a cinephile like me found some of the best VHS tapes to watch--before the days of DVD of course. Art was knowledgeable, friendly and his inventory was amazing. My condolences to his family and friends.
Maurine Proctor
September 17, 2009
We love our Uncle Art and the sweet way he always welcomed us at every visit. He was a true and wonderful friend. I knew him even before I was a part of the family because of the Avalon, which as one who delights in old movies, I frequented often as a special treat. I had a sense of life being more fun and warm when he got up between the movies of a double feature to have a drawing or give us a little background on the films. What sheer delight. We will never forget the joy that he brought to us.
Alan & Signe Jacobsen
September 17, 2009
"Thanks for the Legacy", the love affair with "good movies". We will always remember Art for this. Accept our love and condolences. We are close by - remember to call on us when you need an extra friend.
September 17, 2009
What sweet memories I have of the years that my family and then friends and I went to the Avalon theatre and the Blue Mouse. Wonderful inspiring times, always highlighted by Arthur's warm and generous insights into the history and making of the films we were about to see.
I remember seeing for the first time The Incredible Journey, at the Avalon. What a powerful experience seeing that film was.
I remember going with my sorority sisters from the University of Utah to the Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy film series and then to the Esther Williams series, on Tuesdays, which was Girl's night.
We will always remember Arthur's wonderful warm smile, his intellect and celebration of the best in life, that he thoughtfully shared through the films he made available to everyone in Salt Lake. The world is a better place because of his example and goodness. He leaves a great legacy for us to follow. He was a class act, above the film heroes we saw, for he was real, and his goodness will inspire us on.
May you blessed in your loss, we are grateful for the blessing of having known him. BJRB
September 17, 2009
The Avalon always showed classic movies because of this classy guy. And every Christmas, free showings of "It's a Wonderful Life". As Bob Hope put it so well... "Thanks for the Memories!"
Chris and Joyce Hicks
September 17, 2009
Nancy, you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers. Art was a great friend to me for nearly 25 years, and we have so many joyous memories of the Avalon Theater, where we saw uncountable wonderful movies (and where my oldest daughter worked as a teen). Some years later, quite by happenstance, we moved into your ward and got to know you as well. Art really was Salt Lake's greatest advocate for classic films of the Golden Age, and that influence will be sorely missed now.
Rebecca Stover
September 17, 2009
I grew up in the perfect family. I had the privledge of working at my aunt and uncle's Avalon theatre all my teen years. I got to work with family, friends, and best of all my beloved uncle was my boss. He inspired a great love of movies in my soul. My favorite memory was when he used to let me take the red VW up to Snelgroves and get everyone a malt who was working that night. I spent a lot of time at their house. Swimming after we got off and sleeping on the tramp. My aunt and uncle are as close to me as my own mom and dad. I will miss my greatest example of charity. Because of him I serve. I will miss him so much. Love you Uncle Art.
September 17, 2009
Aunt Nancy, Jeff, Natalie, Tracey, & families, I am so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you. Uncle Art will be greatly missed! The theatre is where my parents met. That holds a special meaning to me. Uncle Art thanks for all the memories you left with so many people. You will be greatly missed!
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