Arthur Preston

Arthur ‘Pete' Preston, 94, son of Arthur and Mabel (Eagen) Preston of St. Joseph, died on May 14, 2010 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center after a short illness. Friends may visit from 4:00- 7:00 Monday May 24th at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Road St. Joseph. Services will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Maude Preston Palenske Memorial Library, St. Joseph, MI. Friends wishing to leave a message of condolence may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com . Pete Preston was born in St. Joseph on October 29, 1915 and was a resident of St. Joseph all his life. He graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1932, Albion College in 1937, and the University of Cincinnati Law School in 1940. While in Cincinnati, Pete met his future wife Harriet Naylor. They were married on March 21, 1942. Harriet ‘Pat' Preston his wife of sixty-eight years survives. After the death of his father in 1941, Pete moved back to St. Joseph, running the Preston Lumber Company until entering the U.S. Navy in 1943 where he served as a flight instructor and aviator. Upon completion of his navy service in 1945, he resumed his legal practice in St. Joseph. He continued to practice law until his death. He was a member of both the Michigan and Ohio Bar Associations, and past president of the Berrien County Bar Association. In addition to his private practice, he was the City Attorney of St. Joseph for 33 years, from 1947 until 1980. No one ever loved the city and county more than he did. Pete considered himself a local historian. His great-grandfather came to St. Joseph in 1829 by way of the Erie Canal. He was a Life Member of the Rotary Club, the Masons and the St. Joseph Elks, a member of the First Congregational Church of St. Joseph as well as a member of the South Shore Racquet and Tennis Club and Berrien Hills Country Club. Survivors include his four children-Mary, Bill, Robert and Edward; twelve grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.