Junior Arterburn, just shy of 90, passed away on Friday May 31, 2019. He was born in McAlester, Oklahoma on June 15, 1929. Junior played multiple sports in high school and played football for Ranger College. Junior transferred to Tech to play quarterback and set passing and rushing records on his way to leading Tech to their first bowl win in the Sun Bowl his senior year. He acquired an undergraduate degree in business administration and later finished a master’s degree in education.
Junior married Joyce Ann Davis On June 18, 1955. They celebrate their 64 years of marriage with their 3 children and their spouses, 8 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren. He is survived by David (Lori) Arterburn - Dayton, Griffin, & Halston, Don (LouAnna) Arterburn - Isaac, Andy, & Zane. Diana (Kelby) Mullins and Whitney (Trevor) Colm - Ella, & Hailey ( Kyle) Bickham - Cohen & Jude.
He went into the Navy and was stationed at Great Lakes, where he also played football and coached boxing. Junior was drafted by the Chicago Cardinals and, after a few years, started coaching at Oklahoma State University.
He coached football at Texas Tech for six years before working for frontier stamps. He was a great grill master and cooked thousands of “Jr burgers” for high riders, lady raiders and students in his Bible College classes. He also made all kinds of homemade candy and his own sweet and salty popcorn to put in goody bags for the Lady Raiders and those of us lucky enough to partake. Junior worked for Frontier Stamps and their redemption centers when he transitioned out of coaching at Tech. Soon he worked back at Tech in undergraduate recruitment and admissions and eventually became the Director of Graduate Admissions. He was the chairman of the deacons at First Baptist Church where he was a member for 64 years. Joyce and Junior were known as Mr. and Ms. Art to thousands of Texas Tech students through the college ministry at First Baptist. Joyce was the founding sponsor of the women’s spirit organization “High Riders” who eventually made Junior an Honorary Member.
He was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Honor and years later when Joyce was inducted they became the only married couple to both be given this distinction.
Junior had a passion for his family and enjoyed hunting quail with Dan Law, taking his grandsons to shoot ducks at Kirkpatrick’s, and winning tennis tournaments with his doubles partner E.C. Leslie. He also shot his age and better on the golf course and played cards and dominos with anyone who wanted to play. He is preceded in death by his parents E.F. and Oma Arterburn and four brothers Ernest, D.C., Walter and Leonard.
He served the cause of Christ around the world with tremendous generosity. Please join us if you can at his memorial service at 10am Saturday June 8th at First Baptist Church of Lubbock, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the High Rider Scholarship at Texas Tech University.
