Hanover, N.H. —
He was born in Methuen, Mass. on March 23, 1924. He graduated from Searles High School of Methuen in 1941 then served in the U.S. Army for three years as a Surgical Technician stationed in the United Kingdom during WW II.
Arthur began his career with the Hanover Co-op in 1949 when he joined his uncle Harry Gerstenberger in transforming a consumer owned buying club operation into a thriving retail store. He followed his uncle as manager in 1965.
He served as President of the Hanover Rotary Club and was a board member for the Hanover Credit Union, Mid-East Cooperatives, the Cooperative League of the USA, the Memorial Society of N.H., and Associated Grocers of New England.
In 1976 he testified before Congress in support of the Consumer Cooperative Bank bill that later passed the House by one vote and became law. That law contributed to the resurgence of the consumer cooperative movement in the nation with specialized lending, investments, and technical assistance to underserved communities across the country. By the time of his retirement in 1988 the Hanover Co-op had expanded five fold, tripling sales volume in his final year.
Whether he was tending to his bee hives, piloting his single-engine plane or sailing the waters of Lake Champlain, Arthur faced life with endless curiosity, an open heart and a welcoming spirit. He taught his family the importance of social justice and kindness to those in need through his actions and his words.
A private gathering for the family will be held in Hanover at a later time.
In lieu of flowers the family asks for contributions to be made to Cooperative Grocer Network’s Arthur Gerstenberger Scholarship Fund, which provides membership assistance to food co-ops. CGN is a nonprofit for food co-ops with a mission to support all retail food cooperatives by creating community and promoting the development and sharing of resources among members. Cooperative Grocer Network, 2600 E. Franklin Avenue, Suite 3, Minneapolis, MN 55406