Arthur Joseph Mcilhone

Arthur Joseph McIlhone, a retired ASARCO Mission Mine mechanic, United States Air Force veteran and long-time resident of Tucson, Arizona, died after a hard-fought battle with lung cancer on March 25, 2024, at the age of 75. Arthur is survived by his wife Soklung (Lynn); his children Arthur, Margaret, Lynn and Joe; his grandchildren Mary Lynn, Kathleen, Lauralle, Kailyn, Kailer, Alina and Alex; his great-grandchildren Ari Jean, Sequoia, Metatron and Mason; his sister Margaret Rose; his brother Eugene; and his little dog Harry. He is predeceased by his parents Margaret and Arthur J. McIlhone of Berwyn, Pennsylvania. Arthur was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1949, to Margaret and Arthur J. McIlhone. Arthur is a Vietnam War veteran and served in the U.S. Air Force as a C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft mechanic and crew chief. He met his wife, Lynn, while serving at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield in Thailand. They fell in love, married in 1971, and moved to Tucson, Arizona where they settled down and raised their loving family. After finishing his 8 years, 10 months of active-duty service at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Arthur turned wrenches as a truck mechanic at the ASARCO Mission Mine for 39 years. Arthur and Lynn celebrated almost 53 years of marriage. Arthur was a devoted son, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He enjoyed stargazing from the front rock-garden, watching the 4th of July fireworks from the roof-top, and going for long drives in the Tucson mountains. He was an avid reader and lifelong learner. He was spiritual and a regular churchgoer. He liked to stay busy and always had a project he was working on—be it a motorcycle that could go faster, a car that needed work or something around the house he wanted to fix. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all who knew him.