John Clifton Arant

John Clifton Arant, age 87 of Cumming, GA, went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Friday, January 24, 2025 after a lengthy hospitalization.

Born to Johnnie Lee and Sidney D. Arant in Bastrop, LA on February 5, 1937, his parents moved to Mobile, AL in 1940 where John grew up and attended school. He was an Eagle Scout and Order of the Arrow member and graduated from Murphy High School in 1956 where he played football and ran track.

John attended the University of Alabama and was a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and an Alpha Kappa Psi Business Honorary. He graduated in 1960 with a BS in Industrial Management and received a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Airborne. After two years in the Army, he was employed by Lehigh Cement Company in Richmond, VA, Charlottesville, VA, Minneapolis, MN and finally Atlanta, GA. While in Virginia, John served three years in the Virginia Army National Guard 29th Infantry Division and promoted to Captain in 1966.

In Atlanta in 1970, John joined the Building Materials Group of the Dow Chemical Company as an account manager. He was well known in the Southeast Building Materials industry and retired after 32 years. A 30+ year member of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI), John was honored as a Fellow in 1993—at that time he was one of only 260 since 1948—and then served as the organization’s National Vice President. He then served as Chair of the Jury of Fellows in 2000 where he led the review of nominations for new Fellows and the selection of inductees.

John was a founding member of First Redeemer Church and choir in Cumming, GA. He was also a member of the first HOA Board of the Polo Golf & Country Club, played ALTA tennis, and ran the Peachtree Road Race for 23 years. In retirement, John was active in the American Legion, serving as Post 307 Commander, the 9th District Commander, and on numerous committees, always promoting veteran causes, patriotism, and Americanism youth programs.

An advocate of continuing education (and proud Bama alum), John established the Sidney D. & John C. Arant Endowed Scholarship at the Culverhouse Business School in Tuscaloosa which is awarded annually by the Atlanta Chapter of the Alabama Alumni Association.

John was preceded in death by his parents and beloved brother, Sidney D. Arant, Jr. John was forever grateful to his Lord and Savior for blessing him with such godly and loving parents. John is survived by his wife of 36 years, Marilyn, four children and three stepchildren: Virginia Arant (Peter) Sternberg, Suzanne Arant Wells, John (Kim) Arant, Jr., Trina Arant (Jeff) Morris, Karmen Howlin (Rick) Brown, Kyle (Nikia) Howlin, Kurt (Stacy) Howlin, 12 grandchildren, several great grandchildren, and nieces Alice Arant Cousins, Janet Arant Malcomb, and Sandra Lee Arant.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to First Redeemer Church in Cumming, GA or to the Arant Endowed Scholarship, University of Alabama School of Commerce, 420 Alston Hall, Tuscaloosa AL 35487-0223.

Visitation will be Saturday, February 15 from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM at Ingram Funeral Home in Cumming. John will be laid to rest with military honors on March 10th, 2025, at 12:30 PM, at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton. The family is grateful for John’s extensive team of doctors and nurses at Northside Forsyth Hospital and AccentCare Hospice in Cumming.