Arthur Van Sant Obituary

Arthur Dale Van Sant died suddenly Saturday, September 3, in Leadville, CO while enjoying the Colorado mountains he loved so dearly. Arthur was born February 24, 1928 in Tomah, WI to Arthur and Elizabeth Van Sant. After his father died when he was eight, he and his mother moved to Kendall, WI and then to Lombard, IL where Art graduated from Glenbard High School. During his high school years, Art's love of railroads led him to a job with the American Railway Association, his first of many endeavors in the railroad industry. Art attended the University of Illinois before transferring to the Illinois Institute of Technology where he earned a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and was a member of the Triangle Fraternity. He worked as a Design Engineer for Pullman Standard and then went to work as Chief Engineer for Railway Products for Portec, Inc. While employed by Portec, Art was retained by Central Tech Incorporated on contract to the Federal Railway Administration in Washington, DC. In 1972, Art moved to Colorado Springs and began working for CF&I steel in Pueblo. Soon after moving to Colorado, he lost his first wife, Martha to heart failure. However, he had found a home in Colorado. He gave his heart to this area and would never consider living or being anywhere but here. In 1978, he married Ann Miller, a native of Colorado Springs, and the two of them were inseparable from that point on. Art was a great storyteller and entertained his family friends on a never-ending basis-whether it was the history of railroads and mining, the background of a sports figure or stories of childhood friends with names that gave them a character of their own. He took great joy in spending time with all his friends, be it on the tennis court, in the swimming pool or at his small retail center in Falcon. He never met a stranger and left a part of himself with everyone he encountered. Art gave his heart and ultimate energy to every project he undertook. He embraced each day of his life and never looked back. Art's love for his family was apparent every day. He savored the times his children and grandchildren would visit. He also had a tremendous love for animals and provided luxury living for many a stray animal that needed a home. Art made a tremendous impact on many lives and will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Arthur is survived by his wife and soul mate, Ann Van Sant; his children: David Van Sant (Sherry) of Strasburg, Terry Van Sant of Colorado Springs, Dan Van Sant of Calhan, Ann Wilbur (Mike) of Syracuse, NY; his step- daughters: Leslie Pfalmer (Bill) of Colorado Springs and Julie Harrington of Harrisonburg, VA: his mother-in-law, Hermine Miller of Colorado Springs; his daughter-in-law, Candy Van Sant of Colorado Springs; and his grandchildren: Gordon, Kimberly, Heather, Zachary, Shawn and Evan Van Sant and Jeffrey Williams. A Memorial Service is planned for 2:00 p.m. Thursday, September 8, at Grace Episcopal Church. Contributions may be given in his memory to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Auxiliary at 250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Road, Colorado Springs 80906 or th the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region.