JOHN E. "ED" WILGUS

1940 - 2015

JOHN E. "ED" WILGUS, 75, of Proctorville, Ohio, entered into Heaven's Glory on Wednesday, September 9, 2015, at St. Mary's Medical Center in Huntington, W.Va. He was born in Huntington on January 3, 1940. He was the son of the late Harry and Mary Evelyn Wilgus. He was also preceded in death by an infant brother, Robert Larry Wilgus. He was the beloved husband of Diana Hayes Wilgus and the loving father of three children, son John Wilgus and wife Julie of Florence, Kentucky; daughter Brooke Wilgus of Columbus, Ohio; and son Ryan Wilgus and fiancée Susan Nguyen and two precious granddaughters Sophia and Savanna Wilgus, all of Las Vegas, Nevada. He is also survived by two sisters, Patricia Waldo and husband C.B. of Brentwood, Tennessee and Margaret Wilgus of Proctorville, Ohio and was also loved by numerous brothers and sisters- in-law and nieces and nephews. Ed grew up in Proctorville, Ohio and attended Fairland Schools. From an early age, he excelled at baseball and basketball and once recorded a perfect Babe Ruth baseball game – striking out every batter he faced. For over thirty years, he held both the single game scoring record at Fairland High School – scoring 46 points against Waterloo and the career scoring mark amassing a total close to 1,300 points. He continued his athletic career at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where he lettered in both baseball and basketball and received his Bachelor's in Education in May of 1963. He furthered his education at Marshall University where he earned his Master's degree. After graduating from Miami, he served in the US Army and later became a member of the American Legion Post 93 Ceredo Kenova, W.Va. He began his teaching career at North Canton High School, continuing at Rock Hill High School and finishing at Fairland High School where he retired after 25 years of service – teaching Health and Physical Education, and General Science. Ed served as the golf coach at Fairland for thirty-six years, winning multiple conferences and sectional championships. He was selected by Sports for Understanding to lead a team of American golfers to Scotland to play against teams across the country. He was inducted into the Ohio High School Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2011. He also coached High School basketball at both Rock Hill and Fairland High School. He was the founder of both the Tri-State Junior Golf Circuit and the Fairland Alumni Association. He had a heart for helping those in need. He enjoyed volunteering at the City Mission for many years, where he was awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award for his service. He served as past President of the local Lions Club chapter, a member of Rome Cemetery Board, and was a member of New Hope United Methodist Church and enjoyed singing in the choir. Ed was a kind and caring man with a gentle spirit. He was a friend to all who knew him and was always willing to lend a helping hand. He enjoyed traveling with his "Lovey," vacationing with his family, playing with his grandchildren, and enjoying a round of golf. He dearly loved his family as they loved him. The funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 12, 2015, at New Hope United Methodist Church in Proctorville, Ohio with Pastor Dwayne Shugert officiating. Burial will follow at Rome Cemetery, Proctorville, Ohio. Visitation will be Friday September 11, 2015, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Hall Funeral Home and Crematory in Proctorville, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in honor of Ed Wilgus to the Huntington City Mission, 624 10th Street, Huntington, WV 25701-2322, or New Hope United Methodist Church Building Fund, 111 Twp Rd 1130, Proctorville, Ohio 45669. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.timeformemory.com/hall.