Arthur "Art" Squires

Arthur "Art" Squires

Arthur Earl Squires ("Art"), passed away peacefully on December 7th, 2025, at the University of Michigan Medical center with his beloved wife, Barb, at his side.

Art was born on November 4th, 1946, to Maxine (Claus) and Hugh Squires. He grew up and attended high school in Oregon, Ohio. After high school, Art attended Ohio Northern University, where he began his college education and made lifelong friends. After attending Ohio Northern, Art followed in his father's footsteps and started his career as an iron worker, where he spent his next chapter of life working tirelessly serving the greater Toledo area. Art was known to share stories of his time as an iron worker, including the rigors it entailed, bonds that were created, and lessons learned.

Art then met his beloved wife, Barb, with whom he shared a loving life, and many cherished years together. Barb and Art shared many passions together, including a love for the outdoors, wildlife, and nature. On many a summer Thursday night, you could find Art and Barb enjoying a beautiful evening under the stars together at Toledo Botanical Gardens, sipping wine and taking in the soulful jazz music they both so much loved. It was not uncommon to hear Art share his endearment for Barb by telling others of her achievements such as earning her master gardener, or her quiet strength and kindness in how she cared for and had a special bond with animals.

After many years as an iron worker, Art was inspired to change his career course. He then applied to and was accepted to The Medical College of Ohio, where he pursued his passion and career as a physical therapist. During his 32 years as a physical therapist, Art made a tremendous impact on every person he met. Skilled in the area of orthopedics, the beginning of Art's physical therapy career was founded at the then MCO, working alongside and learning from Toledo's most prominent orthopedic and sports medicine physicians and surgeons. Over the years, Art would describe his exposure to and developed passion for the world of manual therapy through many of the osteopathic physicians he would tell that he was fortunate to work alongside. He took it upon himself to pursue further knowledge in the field of manual therapy through many rigorous courses at Michigan State University. With his developed and hard-earned knowledge, Art combined his expertise of orthopedics with the valuable skills of manual therapy to profoundly impact thousands of his described "customers," versus patients, over the years. During his time with ProMedica Total Rehab Sports Medicine, he was voted the best physical therapist of Toledo, featured in "The Best of Toledo."

"Art, do you have a moment?" was a phrase that Art would respond to on a daily basis. From those that he helped relieve from pain, to colleagues calling on his expertise, community partners such as the Toledo Ballet or collegiate athletes around the area, professional hockey and baseball players that he served, to students he taught and inspired, Art left no-one he came into contact with untouched by all the gifts he had to offer and so freely gave. Art practiced what he believed, and was spotted most every morning exercising before starting his busy and physical day serving those around him in the physical therapy world. He was always ready and dedicated to share his knowledge with those who wanted to learn. With all of his success and wisdom, Art was most of all humble. He always had words of wisdom to share when elicited, and on top of that had an incredible sense of humor. Art loved to share things he found funny with those he loved, be it a funny comic from the paper or a story from his life. He also loved to share his love of nature. Art spent many hours volunteering for the metro parks, and would share pictures of the beauty that he would encounter in the parks, including their quiet offerings of nature and wildlife. There are so many words to sum up Art, but one of the many that is most fitting is "generous." Art was forever generous with his time, his knowledge, his kindness, his wit, his smile, his friendship, his expertise, his love, and his soul. The greater Toledo area and world will never be the same since being touched by Art Squires and all of his generous gifts. He will be forever remembered and greatly missed, but his legacy will live on through all that he has shared.

Art is survived by his wife, Barb; brother, Mark; sisters, Linda and Debbie; and nieces and nephews. A celebration of life open house will be held to honor Art at the Toledo Botanical Gardens Conference Center, on May 17, 2026, from 12-4 p.m., with celebration sharing from 2-3 p.m. All are welcome to join together to honor a life well lived. In honor and memory of Art, please consider a donation to the Metroparks of Toledo.