On Friday, May 17, the staff from Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home and the family of Arthur Richardson gathered at The Thistle Inn in Boothbay Harbor to celebrate Arthur’s retirement from Simmons, Harrington & Hall. Arthur has been a loyal and dedicated employee for over 50 years. It was discovered that he has a parcel of stories, some quite colorful, and Mike Hall reminisced with a few of them.

When Mike bought Sonny Simmons out of Simmons and Harrington, 22 years ago, it was Arthur who taught him the ins and outs of Boothbay Harbor and the region. The lessons included short cuts, how to maneuver around summer traffic by taking the back roads, even when it looked like a “trail” in the middle of nowhere.

Arthur was also a valuable asset when it came to introductions. If you lived in the Boothbay region, Arthur knew you and he never forgot a name. He maintained the building when it was on Townsend Avenue next door to Grover’s Hardware Store and when the new location was built in Boothbay on Route 27, he maintained that as well.

Arthur was awarded a certificate of appreciation for his many years of faithful service that included an “Arthur Adventure.”

Mike knew that Arthur was a big Waylon Jennings and country music fan, so Mike is sending him on an adventure that will take him to Opryland, in Nashville, Tenn., for a long weekend filled will music shows, a backstage tour at the Grand Ole Opry House, a river boat dinner cruise and a trip to the County Music Hall of Fame. A fun-filled weekend that is well deserved after all his years of service.

Arthur will be missed. On behalf of the Hall staff, Mike wished him all the best as he begins this new segment called retirement.