Arthur Charles Milot, of Jamestown, Rhode Island, was born in Providence on November 7, 1932. He was the son of Aram Milot and Gertrude Milot of Johnston, Rhode Island. He graduated from Moses Brown School in 1951 and Harvard College in 1955, where he was also active in the Naval Reserves. After a stint with the brokerage firm of Kidder Peabody, he entered the family business, the Paragon Worsted Company of Olneyville, where he guided the company through the decline of the New England textile industry. In 1968 he purchased the Brewster Lumber Company, which became a Rhode Island institution and expanded across New England during his tenure. He was a director of Industrial National Bank and its successor Fleet Financial Group for many years. He served on the boards of The Boys Club of Providence, the United Way and the Jamestown Planning Commission.
Following his retirement in 1986, Arthur devoted himself to many philanthropic causes, particularly the Nature Conservancy – Rhode Island, where he was a board member and a tireless fundraiser. A humble and private man, he preferred to work quietly for the many causes he believed in. He was especially fond of the cats he rescued, and was a supporter of Animal Rescue Rhode Island and The Potter League for Animals. Known in Jamestown as “the walking man” he could be seen walking from his home to his office in town most days, picking up litter and chatting with passersby as he went.
He married Martha, his wife of 61 years, in 1957 and together they raised their family in Providence and Jamestown. A lifelong sailor, he cruised with his family along the eastern seaboard, completing two transatlantic passages aboard his lug rigged schooner “Vide Poches” in 1982 and 1983. He was a member of the Cruising Club of America and the Conanicut Yacht Club. He never retired from the sea.
He was an avid reader in French and English, and loved to discuss history, global politics and economics with those who shared his passions. While he had deeply held and well researched convictions, he was a good listener and considerate of others. He and Martha travelled often, and he enjoyed touring the places he read about and visiting with friends in France and elsewhere.
He is survived by his wife Martha, his daughter Dorsey Beard and her husband Bruce Beard, son Charlie and his wife Maria, his grandson Arthur Breton and his cat Artie. Services will be private. Memorial contributions may be made to The Nature Conservancy – Rhode Island, 159 Waterman Street, Providence RI 02906.
