PAUL ARTMAN
GREENVILLE — “When you were born you were crying and everyone else was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you’re the one who is smiling and everyone else is crying." — Ralph Waldo Emerson
On Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, Paul Artman, devoted family man, dedicated friend, community servant-leader, and faithful child of God died at the age of 70. He was born July 21, 1951, in Greenville, Mississippi, to Carol and Paul Artman, loving parents who would be his model for the extraordinary life he enjoyed.
Paul was a life-long learner; therefore, he revered his studies at the University of Notre Dame and Delta State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Education in Social Sciences, a Master of Educational Supervision, a Master of Education in History, and a Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership. Additionally, at Notre Dame, Artman graduated from the Alliance for Catholic Education Principal’s Academy, the Play Like A Champion Today Program, and the ACE Curriculum Collaborative. At Delta State University, Artman was initiated into Kappa Alpha Order general fraternity, where he rose to the ranks of Delta State Alumnus Advisor for nine years and Emmet Lee Irwin Province Commander (entire state of Mississippi) for 12 years in service to all the chapters in the state. He was an alumnus of the U.S. Secretary of Defense Joint Civilian Orientation Conference. Paul was a graduate of the Catholic Lay Ministry Program in the Catholic Diocese of Jackson and served both St Rita Catholic Church at Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and Greenville St. Joseph Catholic Church as an Extraordinary Minister and Faith Formation teacher. He served both St. Rita and St. John Catholic Schools on their School Advisory Councils. Paul was wed to his college sweetheart and the absolute love of his life, Barbara Lynn Deaton on Aug. 9, 1975, and they shared a loving, committed life rearing four wonderful and industrious children, Paul III, Catherine Clare, Jonathan, and Maggie. His family was greatly honored to be named the Mississippi Knights of Columbus Family of the Year.
Paul Artman was a Catholic Knight of Columbus and served as its Grand Knight for multiple terms. He was a member of the Greenville Rotary Club where he served as president and was a Paul Harris Fellow. He also served as a Rotary Assistant District Governor. Artman relished every day of his working and service life vowing “that he only would be engaged in vocations and avocations he thoroughly enjoyed.” He was immersed in his secondary and college teaching, his father’s broadcasting business, community service, municipal government leadership, the Catholic school principalship, his family’s hospitality business, and in service to County Road 30A communities in the Florida Panhandle in his retirement as the Seacrest Beach Homeowners’ Association president and the Mobility Chair of the 30A Alliance. Self-described to be “perhaps a bit obsessive compulsive” he worked daily to make certain his beach home and Seacrest community maintained a perfect appearance.
Paul Artman was elected to the Greenville, Mississippi, City Council in 1989, and then served as its mayor from 1996 through 2004. As a community servant-leader and municipal elected official, Paul’s goal was to enhance Greenville’s quality of life for all people and establish Greenville as a recognized innovator in the region. As mayor, Paul Artman brought the community together in the daily exercise of democracy to establish goals and plans of action which yielded unprecedented accomplishment in the city including the building of the Greenville Higher Education Center, the new U.S. Highway 82 Mississippi River Bridge, and the U.S. Highway 82 Downtown Corridor Enhancement Project. Artman founded the Greenville Air Force Base Museum, Greenville Fire Museum, the 1927 Flood Museum, and the Greenville Historical Marker Trail. He was the creator/developer of the Community Harmony Luncheons, the Sister City Program with Kronach (Germany), the Interstate 69 Greenville Connector Plan, Lakefront Park, North City front Boat Ramp, the Greenville Housing Initiative, and the award-winning Walnut Street Redevelopment Project.
Greenville, the state, and the region honored Artman as few have been honored, and he appreciated each one in a very special manner. Academically he was afforded membership in Kappa Delta Pi for education, Phi Mu Alpha Theta in History, and Pi Gamma Mu for the Social Sciences. Dedicated to Catholic education, Artman was named Principal of the Year six times and his school, St. Joseph Catholic, under his leadership was named High School of the Year four times. Artman was honored for service by the American Red Cross, Knights of Columbus as Knight of the Year three times, and National Multiple Sclerosis Society Leadership Class. Paul was also honored as Greenville Christmas Parade Grand Marshall and was the youngest ever selected as Greenville Junior Auxiliary Charity Ball King. Kappa Alpha Order bestowed him with its National Award for Distinguished Public Service and its highest membership honor, the Knight Commander’s Accolade.
Artman served on the Board of Directors of the Anti-Drug Community Partnership, Salvation Army, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Mid-Continent I-69 Association, Delta Area Association for the Improvement of Schools, Delta Council, Mississippi Municipal League, Mississippi Delta Community College Foundation, and Delta State University Alumni Association. Paul was the president of the Greenville-Area Chamber of Commerce, Team City Greenville, United Way of Washington County, Mississippi Right to Life, and the Delta Children’s Museum.
Paul Artman was recognized as a Community Point of Pride three times, Community Citizen of the Year twice, Economic Alliance Chairman of the Year, and Economic Alliance Outstanding Volunteer on three occasions. He was awarded the Civic Improvement Award by the Garden Club of America, the Clarion-Ledger Mississippi Livable Cities Award, and the John C. Stennis Institute of Government Innovation in Municipal Government Award twice. The Mississippi Main Street Association awarded Artman the Downtown Public Improvement Award and the award as the state’s Public Official of the Year. Under two Mississippi Governors, Artman earned statewide recognition with the Governor’s Award for Tourism Achievement and the Governor’s Award for Community and School Partnerships.
Artman was preceded in death by his father, Paul Artman Sr.; his son, Jonathan; and his loyal and best friend, yellow Labrador, Jake.
He is survived by his mother, Carol Artman, of Indianola; wife, Barbara, of Seacrest, FL; son, Paul Artman III (Kris), of Santa Rosa Beach, FL; daughters, Catherine Clare Hill (Waylon), of Lynn Haven, FL, and Margaret Ellen “Maggie” Matthews (Tyler), of Santa Rosa Beach, FL. He is also survived by his marvelous grandchildren, Jon Walker Hill, Kennedy Carol Hill, Hollis Catherine Hill, Eliza Rose Hill, Deaton Ty Matthews, and Ella Compton Matthews. Paul held the highest esteem, love, and devotion for these grandchildren. For anyone to have truly known Paul Artman, one would easily ascertain that he possessed an unending sense of humor; therefore, we should all understand that he would easily find some humor here, even in this time of death. Please Remain Joyous in the Lord!
Family visitation will be from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 31, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Greenville, MS with a Funeral Mass at the church at 11:30 a.m. Mortimer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, any generously offered memorials may be directed to the institution he so loved, St. Joseph School Facilities Organization, P. O. Box 1406, Greenville, MS 38702. Go Irish!
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