Arthur Owen Root

8/29/1929 - 4/30/2025

Niantic - Arthur Owen Root passed away April 30, 2025, after a brief stay at Bride Brook Rehabilitation in Niantic. He designed their home on Alscot Drive, East Lyme, where they resided for 52 years and enjoyed entertaining family and friends. He was born Aug. 29, 1929, in Seattle, Wash., the son of the late Arthur A. Root and Nancy C. Hickel.

Arthur graduated from Bothell High School in 1947. He joined the U.S. Navy in October of 1948, and served until September 1952, when he was honorably discharged. While in the Navy, he went to electronics school Great Lakes where he became an electronics technician. He also attended Mitchell College in New London.

In October 1952, he was employed by General Dynamics, Electric Boat in Groton, and joined the electronics department. In 1964, he moved to the overhaul planning department, retiring in February 1990, as chief of the department.

Arthur was a loving and devoted husband, having been married to his beloved wife, Josephine for 74 years. He enjoyed any time he was on the golf course with his friends and/or relatives, but his family always came first.

He is survived by his wife Josephine R. Root; son Thomas and his wife Leah of Beverly, Mass; his granddaughters, Leah (Root) Carlin and her husband Patrick; Stephanie (Root) Herbster and her husband Matthew; and three great-grandsons, Thomas Carlin, Jacob Herbster and Andrew Herbster. He is also survived by his nieces and nephews, Darlene Young, and Eric and Elizabeth Arnold; sister-in-law Claire DiMaggio; and nieces, Annette Morris and her husband Timothy Morris and Nancy DiMaggio; and grandnieces, Lauren Arnold and Jessica Taylor and her husband Andy; grandnephews Kevin Langly, Stephen Arnold, Ryan Arnold and his wife Kate, Adam Arnold and his wife Cory and Timothy Castanza and his wife Michelle. He was predeceased by his loving son Stephen in December 1972. In addition, he was predeceased by his parents, Arthur A. Root and Nancy C. Hickel; and his brothers, Eddie L. "Leroy" Root, Clifford D. "Kip" Hickel; and sister Lovern King.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 6, at Neilan and Sons Funeral Home, 48 Grand Street, Niantic, for family and friends to say their last farewell and prayers, followed by procession and burial at St. Mary's Cemetery in New London.

The family would like to express special thanks to the nurses, patient associates and staff at Bride Brook Rehabilitation Center in Niantic, whose care and diligence in his last days were greatly appreciated.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.