Arthur James Nervis Sr.'s Obituary
HIS LIFE STORY
Arthur James Nervis, Sr., affectionately known as “Big Art”, “Big A”, “Pops” “Papa” and “Paw Paw”, was born to Frank, Sr. and Nancy Russell at midnight on December 2nd, 1943. Arthur grew up on a farm in Lake Providence, Louisiana and graduated in 1962 from GW Griffin High School where he met Lillie Theresa “Ree” Cox. They were married 61 years as of August 6th. This union produced six children. In the mid 1960’s, Arthur decided to follow his older brothers and move to the San Francisco Bay Area. After residing in Berkeley for a few years, Arthur was able to buy a home for his growing family in Oakland. Arthur accepted Christ at a young age at the Progressive Baptist Church in Lake Providence, Louisiana where he sang in the choir. Arthur worked as a construction laborer in Greater Northern California for the entirety of his career, 1965 until 2005. He was on an assignment in Los Angeles when the Loma Prieta Earthquake damaged the Cypress Structure in the San Francisco Bay Area. He felt especially blessed to be away on assignment since he used the Cypress Structure as his daily route from work at the time of the fatal earthquake. Arthur was a very passionate, warm and energetic person. He deeply loved his family and was a participant in the various aspects of their lives as a supportive presence. He would often call to check in on his loved ones to make sure they were okay. He would be sure to let you know how many times he called you and how many times you did not call him back after he called you. He loved from the center of his heart. Arthur enjoyed watching sports. His favorite college teams were the Oregon Ducks, the California Bears and Ohio State. His favorite professional teams were the Oakland Athletics, the San Francisco Giants and the Golden State Warriors. Most times he could be seen wearing 49ers or A’s baseball caps, t-shirts, sweaters and jackets. Arthur was a very attentive gardener. He planted and cared for fruits, vegetables, flowers and shrubs. He was known and complimented throughout the neighborhood for having a very well-maintained yard. He would pick roses from his garden and give them to family and friends. Arthur’s great taste in soul music included Sam Cook, Al Green, Ike and Tina Turner, Prince, Michael Jackson and Aretha Franklin. Perhaps his favorite song was “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding because the words resonated with his story of moving west from down south. He had a beautiful voice and when he would close his eyes, tilt his head back and sing, it was beautiful to behold. Arthur was an avid fisherman since his youth in Louisiana. He shared his love of fishing with his family and friends. Some of his favorite fishing spots included Clear Lake, Lake Chabot and the Antioch Pier. When he was unable to go fishing, he always appreciated when someone would bring fresh fish for him to scale, clean and fry. Food was a love language for Arthur: growing it, cooking it, eating it and watching others eat it. He took great pride in the fresh produce he was able to grow in his garden such as tomatoes, greens and lettuce, to name a few. He enjoyed giving people a tour of his garden and picking vegetables for them to prepare. He was a great cook. He had so many specialties like pork chops, turnip greens and he could make the best oxtails. When he would fix you a plate of food, he would keep checking in to make sure you liked it and ate it all. Every Easter, even during the pandemic, he would visit the homes of all 5 of his grandchildren to give them baskets full of their favorite candies, dyed eggs and toys. Paw Paw maintained that tradition for 32 years! Arthur was so warm and outgoing that when he went to the gas station in this season of self-service, someone would always pump his gas and they knew how he liked his coffee and would bring it to him. He was one-of-a-kind and amazing. He was treasured and loved. He will be terribly missed. Arthur was preceded in death by his parents, Frank, Sr. and Nancy Russell, his brothers, Frank Jr. (Gloria), Robert Lee and Louis Clinton. A loving family left to cherish Arthur’s memory includes his wife Theresa, three daughters: Dyanna, Sonja, Sheila, three sons: Arthur, Jr. (Treva), Brian (Monique) and William, 4 granddaughters: Arielle, Makenzi, Analise and Noemi, one grandson: Brian, II, three sisters: Ernestine, Kitty (Cuffie), Daisy (Jesse), one brother: John (Betty), two additional sister-in-law’s: Joyce and Catherine, as well as a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
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