IN LOVING MEMORY OF ARTHUR FLORES JULY 6, 1945 – JULY 9, 2017
Ranger Flores is buried in the Riverside National Cemetery, CA.
Arthur Flores performed 2 tours in Vietnam. His first tour was with the 2nd Brigade/4th Infantry Division LRRPS.
His second tour was with the Marines.
His son Matt Flores followed in his father’s footsteps by serving his country with a career in the Marines.
Matt is a major contributor to this Memorial for his father.
He also wants to acknowledge Nick Posdniakoff and Bradley Finch. They were both instrumental in telling him who his dad was in the LRRPs. It was an absolute honor to meet both those amazing men. I am forever grateful to them, and it makes me feel good that my dad is their brother-in-arms
Here is what I wrote for my dad:
My dad was a fantastic father. He was very generous and would tell people it would be okay and show them it would be OK. When I was a child, my dad loaded a van with blankets and clothing. We went to Skid Row in Los Angeles, and my dad passed out blankets and clothing to people experiencing homelessness. When we returned to the van, my dad said, “Someone always has it worse, so be a blessing to others who are less fortunate.” My dad served our country, and I am very proud of him. He is a hero, and I will always strive to be good and do good because of the example he set for me to follow. My dad was a true leader, and I will never forget him.
When we were small kids, we tried to hit some empty soda cans with our slingshots, but we kept missing. As we were missing, my dad got a fishing line and tied two deep-sea fishing weights together. He then threw it and knocked over all the cans. I told my dad, “I didn’t know you could do that.” My dad calmly replied, “You don’t know many things about me.” He smiled and walked away, drinking his coffee.
Semper Fidelis, Son
From Son Abraham:
When dad and ham went to San Jose. Dad’s blood sugar was real low. He ate a baby Ruth and drank a dr pepper. After a few minutes he perked back up and continued to drive to visit Aunt Vivian. While driving they were listening to oldies
From Daughter Sarah:
Dad would sing the song to me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZbKHDPPrrc
Dad said God answers prayers in 3 ways
YES, NO, WAIT
Everywhere you go there will always be an asshole
Adapt or die
Knowledge is power
From Son Arthur:
My favorite memory of Dad was when he took me for a ride on his orange motorcycle when I was 5 or 6. I remember feeling the wind and feeling Joy. We didn’t exchange words, just both laughed when we returned. He knew I liked it, we just made eye contact and laughed.
From Son Peter:
We hiked the whole Chino Hills State Park one Saturday – I was no older than 10 or 12 years old. From the start of the entrance in Chino Hills to Overlooking Yorba Linda, then turned around and hiked right back to Chino Hills before sundown. About 3-4 miles from the end of the trail, our youngest brother, Abraham, started to slow down, so my dad picked him up and carried him the rest of the way. My older brothers, Arthur and Matthew, were still going strong with no complaints. We were happy to spend hours with our dad in Mother Nature. He was just as happy, and it was very apparent he was pleased with us. My legs hurt, but the happiness I felt at seeing how strong my dad and older brothers were outweighed the pain in my feet. This day became a core memory for my dad and my brothers that I will never take for granted
From Daughter Ruth:
My favorite memory of dad is when he used to pick me up from school and take me to 7-11 to get a Slurpee, chips, and candy. I was a little fat kid, and it wasn’t much, but it was the highlight of my week. When I smell a 7-11 and hear the door chimes, I go back to a chubby 8-year-old girl happy at that moment.
Here is something my cousin wrote about my dad: (My dad’s nickname was “Peewee.”)
When I think of Uncle Peewee, I think of his smile and his Bible. Uncle Peewee not only loved the Lord; he served his country. To be his niece is an honor I carry proudly.
Here is what my Aunt Vivian, my dad’s younger sister, had to say about my dad:
One of the most beautiful things about my brother, lovingly known as Peewee, was his smile, it could light up any room and lift your spirit in an instant. His laughter was infectious, full of warmth and joy, and it always made you feel like everything was going to be okay. He had such a generous heart; I’ll never forget how he would give me money to buy a pair of shoes, always looking out for me in his own quiet, thoughtful way. He even had this little side-step dance he would do just to make me smile. That’s who he was—joyful, caring, and full of life. He wasn’t just a good brother—he was a very good brother. will always be grateful for the love and light he brought into my life.
Article about Flores contributed by Nick Posdniakoff. Read the full story, click the link. Flores The story begins on page 86
