Arthur A. Green, III

Arthur A. Green, III was born August 15, 1956, to Ruth and Arthur A. Green, Jr. Arthur started his extraordinary life as the apple of his parents’ and sisters’ eye; the youngest of four children, Arthur was known to be an active and loving child. He was baptized at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church. Arthur, or “Skipper” as he was affectionately known to family and friends, took pride in caring for everyone he knew. A graduate of Henry Ford High School, he went on to attend Eastern Michigan University and Wayne State University. Never a stranger to hard work and dedication, Arthur joined the United States Air Force in 1976 where he was able to nurture both his love of flying and protecting his country. He served in the Michigan Air National Guard at Selfridge Air National Guard Base as a member of the Military Police. He served on one tour of duty in Kuwait in 2002, and retired as a Master Sergeant in 2004. Joining the Detroit Police Department in 1986, Arthur excelled as a public servant. In 1996, he moved to the Department of Natural Resources as a conservation officer, and was recently promoted to First Lieutenant for the department.

In 1981, he was united in marriage to Karla Cole; from this union came two of Arthur’s greatest accomplishments, his sons Antonio and Brice. Arthur’s greatest sources of pride came from his grandchildren, whom he cherished: Jayden, Lacie, and Nolan. Through his love of flying, Arthur was fortunate to become a member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. He participated in many activities including being a dedicated pilot to the Young Eagles Program where he helped introduce Detroit and Metro Detroit youth to their first airplane ride, along with exposing them to opportunities and careers in the field of Aviation.  Arthur has flown over 400 youths in the Young Eagles Program. He currently held the role as the President of the Detroit Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, dedicating himself to keeping the legacy of this illustrious organization alive. He also was the secretary for the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum, Detroit, MI.

Being the only boy in his family, Arthur adopted several brothers into his heart: Jessie Lampkin (who preceded him in death), Nathaniel Lee II, and Wallace Williams. All four have been friends and very close since high school. An extraordinary man who left a remarkable legacy, Arthur was preceded in death by his father Arthur A. Green, Jr., his mother Ruth Green, and his father-in-law James H. Cole, Jr. He is survived by his loving wife Karla Green, his sons Antonio (Angel) and Brice (Jamila), and by his grandchildren Jayden, Lacie, and Nolan. His sisters Angela Little, Carol Green, and Irma Chenevert, mother-in-law Jeanette Cole, and sister-in-law Kimberly Crafton (William) as well as a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, family, friends, colleagues join a community that will forever feel the impact of his loss.