Stephen J. Arpante

Stephen J. Arpante, 88, of Atlantis, Fl, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 21, 2024, after a long illness.

Stephen was born on June 19, 1935, to Pasqualina and Salvatore Arpante. After graduating from Watertown High School, he went on to study at Harvard College, earning a degree in Economics in 1956.

Economics and finance were his lifelong passion. He began a long, successful career in New York City, where he worked for Merrill Lynch, Loeb Rhoades & Co., and Standard & Poor's/InterCapital Securities.

Moving to Boston to assist his aging parents in the early 80's, Stephen eventually became President of The Massachusetts Company, a bank and trust company founded in 1818. After his success there, Stephen joined Keystone Investments, serving as President of Keystone Massachusetts Distributors Inc., as well as a senior vice president and a founding partner of The Keystone Group.

Stephen was very passionate about the need to educate today's youth and to provide underserved people in need of help with access to pro bono financial planning. He loved chatting with students in high school and college and mentored whenever possible, encouraging many to become Certified Financial Planners. In a pro bono capacity, he willingly and gladly gave his time, knowledge and energy to the industry throughout the 80's and 90's, serving as both President of the Foundation for Financial Planning and as Chairman of Financial Planning Magazine. Additionally, as President and Chairman of the International Association for Financial Planning, he traveled extensively and addressed international audiences on the importance of financial standards and education.

Stephen retired from The Keystone Group in 1996, when the employee-owned and operated company was acquired by First Union Bank. He next formed SJA Associates, doing what he loved, advising small businesses on how to grow their companies, and counseling and providing guidance to already successful businesses that might be preparing to sell, merge or pass on control to family members.

Steve left Boston for the warmth of Florida in 2001, residing in Delray Beach for a few years before moving to the beautiful Delray Dunes Golf & Country Club in 2005, where he served on the Strategic Planning Committee, was president of the Investment Club and served twice as president of the DDG&CC. Steve and his wife Julie enjoyed a very happy and active social life with many treasured friends. Steve and Julie were also members of the Lost City Golf Club in Atlantis, FL, and eventually moved to Atlantis in 2017.

Steve lit up a room with his easy smile and sense of humor. He loved to tell stories about college antics and professional experiences, his travels to Asia, India, Europe, and growing up in Massachusetts. He was always ready to participate in any activity, be it a contentious Delray Dunes board meeting (which always ended up with laughter over cocktails), a good dinner party, or a round or two of golf. He especially enjoyed the many Bethesda Pro-Am tournaments in which he participated.

In his leisure time, Steve indulged his voracious appetite for non-fiction, focusing his reading on history (notably World War II), politics and current events, fundamental analysis of the stock market, and, basically, anything that would explain why we are who we are. Over the years, he amassed an extensive library and would frequently have three or four books in front of him at once. Music, too, was a staple of his life. You name it, he loved it all and was always ready to dance.

Stephen is survived by his best friend and loving wife Julie; former spouse Marie Arpante of New York City; children: Donna Treece (Brad), Stephen J. Arpante Jr., Nina Whitman (Michael), and Christina Arpante, PhD; grandchildren: Julia, Luke, Tatianna, and Tess; his sister, Maria Meyer (Fred) of Cambridge, MA; nephew, Mathhew Meyer (Samira) of London, England); his aunt, Gloria Scott of Natick, MA; and many beloved cousins.

He was a kind, generous, joyful man, beloved by many and a friend to all. We will miss him greatly.