Arthur Lightbourn

Born in New York City, NY to Arthur Frank Lightbourn and Catherine Lightbourn (nee Horgan), Arthur was a good Catholic boy who spent his formative years riding the trolley and subways for free! He loved his New York City roots but landed on the east coast of Canada for his post-secondary studies after deciding that seminary school and the Priesthood would not be his path.

After graduating with a B.A. in English from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Arthur met his first wife Shirley Joan Butler. They packed up and headed to California to start their family and Arthur's career in journalism. Arthur was fiercely passionate and curious about people and their stories right from the start and landed his first job as a reporter at a local newspaper in Bakersfield, California. Arthur and Shirley had three of their four children, Leslie Joan, Gregory Stuart and Laurel Ann, while living in Bakersfield. Lisa Eileen was born after returning to live in Canada. He remarried twice after Shirley. Arthur always said he loved being married. He lived with his last wife, Diane Dessaint de Saint-Pierre, in both BC and southern California. They shared love for art, fine conversation, food and people. She lovingly cared for him many years after his Parkinson's diagnosis. He spent most of his retirement continuing to write with a focus on feature articles and personality profiles in community newspapers in the San Diego area, and his final book, Vita, was written on the Sunshine Coast. Published by The Coast Reporter on Jan. 6, 2023.