Charles A Arrington

July 18, 1939 - February 20, 2022

Charles A. (Tony) Arrington, 82, of Greenville, SC, died on Sunday, February 20, 2022. He was born in Weeksville, NC on July 18, 1939, the son of Charles and Ottie Arrington. He spent his childhood in Due West, SC. He was the husband of Bonnie Higgins Arrington for 48 years. Dr. Arrington was a graduate of Furman University and earned his PhD in Physical Chemistry from Harvard University in 1964. Following a postdoctoral fellowship at UC Berkeley, he returned to Furman in 1967, joining the faculty in the Chemistry Department where he worked until his retirement in 2008. During his time at Furman, Dr. Arrington combined his knowledge and skill as a scientist with his passion for education, providing a challenging and inspiring environment in which generations of Furman students learned more than chemistry. He served both as chair of the Chemistry Department and Chair of the Faculty, where his leadership helped guide Furman to its focus on providing research opportunities for all students. He was on the founding committee for the Council on Undergraduate Research and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In addition to his parents, he is predeceased by his wife Bonnie and brother John Arrington. He is survived by sisters Ruth Arrington and Lucille Keller; a son Caleb Arrington and wife Jane; daughters Kate Arrington and husband Jim Green, and Elaine Gay and husband Michael; and grandchildren William and Jessica Arrington, John Gay, and Elizabeth Green. Adventurous summers spent in New Mexico capture the essence of Tony’s approach to life. His insight and curiosity contributed to numerous research projects at the Los Alamos National Lab. He guided Furman students through these summer research opportunities at the lab, but also to experiences in the natural beauty and cultural richness of the Southwest. A memorial service will be held in the Daniel Chapel at Furman University on Saturday, March 26, 2022, at 2:00 in the afternoon. The family will receive friends following the service in the Chapel Garden Room. A private interment will be held at First Baptist Church of Greenville. Memorial gifts may be made to “The Furman Advantage”, Furman University, 3300 Poinsett Highway, Greenville, SC 29613.