Art Showley

Arthur “Art” Daniel Showley II 75, a retired farmer east of Kewanna, Indiana, died on February 23, 2018, in a boating accident near his winter home in Ruskin, Florida.

 He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Dorothy (Bourque); his children, Deanna Hayes of Indianapolis and Doug Showley (Hillary) of Carmel; his grandchildren, Jacob Hayes and Grace Hayes, Indianapolis, Huck Showley, and Beau Showley, Carmel,  and his siblings, Gerald Showley (Joanne), Ocala, Florida,  and Kathleen Seniff (Leo), Flint, Michigan. He was preceded in death by his first son Jayson, his parents, and his stepmother Mary. He was gregarious, a generous helper, possessing a quick wit and deep intelligence, with strong doses of tenacity and determination that helped him overcome multiple obstacles throughout his life. 

Art was born in Flint, Michigan, on July 17, 1942, to Dale and Veronica (McClone) Showley and graduated from St. Matthew’s High School in 1960. While he grew up in the city, as a child he spent his summers in Indiana on the farm of his grandfather and namesake, Arthur Daniel Showley I. It became his dream and ambition to one day own that farm, which had existed through generations of Showleys.  In 1966, after 5 years of persistent courtship, he married Dorothy (Dotty), the love of his life. That same year, he graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in Business and moved to live on his grandfather’s farm while working as a plant manager at Dean’s Foods in Rochester. General Motors lured him back to Flint in 1968 with a position as trafficker of national car distribution in their Buick Motor Division. He was promoted a year later to the GM Headquarters in Warren, Michigan.

But neither the desk nor the city suited him. Work boots and his grandfather’s farm did. In 1973 he fulfilled his childhood dream and bought the land from his father. There, with Dotty, he raised a family, built a dairy herd, and cultivated the ground. He retired from the dairy operation in 1995, but his knack for management, finance, and human interaction earned him enough votes to serve as Fulton County Commissioner from 1996-2000.

Art fully retired from farming in 2007, and, true to his Catholic faith, he redoubled his efforts to serve and care for others. His Indiana family, friends, and strangers alike enjoyed the produce from his garden and fruit trees, while his Florida neighbors delighted in eating the abundant quantities of fish he pulled from Tampa Bay. To the Red Cross he donated his blood regularly, to St. Anne’s Food Pantry in Ruskin he donated his time weekly, and to the Habitat for Humanity of Fulton County he donated his skill faithfully. To his friends and neighbors he performed untold numbers of fix-it jobs around their homes. He was known throughout his communities for his outgoing, friendly nature; he had a teasing style of humor, and those he loved most earned  nicknames specially designed by Art’s quirky humor.    Other favorite leisure activities included golfing and woodworking. He was an avid reader and self-made scholar of politics and history.

Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10:00 A.M. Monday March 5, 2018 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Rochester, Indiana, with Rev. Michael McKinney officiating. Friends may call from 3-8 P.M. Sunday at Zimmerman Bros. Funeral Home, Rochester, Indiana. Burial will be in the Salem Cemetery, Rochester, Indiana.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Matthew’s Market, 100 W. 3rd Street, Rochester, Indiana or www.rochesterthecross.com/outreach/matthewsmarket.htm. Online condolences may be expressed at www.zimmermanbrosfh.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Art Showley, please visit our floral store.