James Wharton

James D. Wharton. Do not mourn my passing, marvel at my being here. God tapped me, James Daniel (Danny) Wharton, on the shoulder on June 17, 2025 and led me to the Golden Shore. He must have had a need for a statistician, scorekeeper, PA announcer, writer/author, umpire, or somebody to just talk sports with.

I had 81-plus years on this great earth. Good times. Bad times. Happy times. Sad times. Plenty, and I mean plenty, of family time. My bride of nearly 59 years and best friend of over 64 years, Sharon Lee (Casteel) Wharton, was waiting for me at God's celestial shore.

But, please, my thousands of friends and family, bring them out of their depths quickly and watch over my brood, like our daughter, my rock and life-support system for the past few years, Tamera Kay Drake and her husband, Terry. Like three beautiful granddaughters, Tiffany Kay (Steward) Squires, Tara Kathleen (Wayne) Weaver and Taylor Kailee (Nathan) Meade. To those three came my nine prides of joy, great-grandkids Saylor London Squires, Stella Harper Squires, Leland Taylor Meade, Drake Kenneth Weaver, Mia Grace Meade, Jase Edson Weaver, twins Sadie Rose and Sydney Ruth Meade, and Sloane Palmer Squires.

As I head for my next assignment in the Great Beyond, five of those nine great-grandchildren are into playing softball, two into baseball, one into golf and one that is just along for the ride. Now, how tough was it for this old broken-down umpire to go to softball or baseball games the last couple of years? NOT!

My 'legend' status, as someone so kindly hollered out at the conclusion of a championship 'coach-pitch' softball game several years ago, is over. My "the real Mr. High School Sports," moniker as my great, great and long-standing friend Larry Larson loved to say, are behind me. My days as a sports writer for the Columbus Dispatch, Buckeye Sports Bulletin, Newark Advocate, Scarlet & Gray Illustrated, Portsmouth Daily Times or Morrow County Sentinel are behind me. So, too, are my days of contributing to the Sunbury News and Mt. Vernon News. I might even be remembered for something I wrote in my six-month lapse in judgment, moving into management by becoming editor of the Greenville Daily Advocate. Management, huh, a tragic mistake - and I did it twice. Never, ever, should have left the sports desk.

Then, the tremendous final 13 years of my going to 'work' every day at the Ohio High School Athletic Association, where everything I touched was about the young student-athletes in our state.

My hall of fame journey is over. If those connected with the Ohio Prep Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame, the Columbus Slo-Pitch Softball Hall of Fame, the Ohio ASA Softball Hall of Fame, the OHSAA District 11 Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame or the Highland Local School District Athletic Hall of Fame - all of which I was so, so honored to be inducted into for one reason or another - can remember me, for a day, a week, a year, or longer, I'll continue to be grateful. And if not, hell, I won't know the difference.

I left this world with books in the works, I'll be up there putting the finishing touches on them, and you can read or buy them when you come Home to join me.

I wish I could have said goodbye to all of my 'Old Farts' from dear old Central High School - Class of 1961 with a couple of earlier grads tossed into the salad. A group of us gathered the last Wednesday of every month for many years at Tommy's Diner. And the 'Fartettes,' as John Mackie named them - our wives - who had their own monthly gatherings, prodded along by Nancy Lambert Bush.

Golly, Central High School. I loved my three years in the Senior Choir and my five years with the Ramblers, a doo-wop group right out of the 1950s. So many years had passed, but I left this world always thinking about the day of graduation rehearsal. I thought for sure my name would be one of those read off to 'NOT' walk across the stage and receive that piece of paper. Just made it!

After Central, there was no college. I was in love and was going to, ugh, go to work for a living.

Here, I'm barely going to touch on my years with Schiff Shoes, getting the job as I started my senior year 'down by the riverside' as part of the Distributive Education program. Or my short stays with Standard Industrial Laundry or Sanese Vending. Left this world still remembering some great friendships derived at both those stops on my journey to support the wife and kids.

Then came the newspaper opportunity and I never looked back. I also didn't dread going to work every day. If you thoroughly enjoy your job, it's not work.

And don't even get me started on my many, many years in slo-pitch softball. From playing, coaching, umpiring, scoring, running ASA tournaments, owning the concession contract at Greenlawn, Southview or Berliner - whatever name that great place had at the time. Or the hundreds of friends I made in my many years of being connected with some outstanding Central Ohio Welding teams - God bless the late Mike Burns. I'm going to join him in the great beyond and talk some softball.

I went to my mansion in the sky remembering my mother and father, Mary Louise Baughman and Lyman James Wharton. My stepfathers Courtney Lawson and Charles Fleck, the latter who could do some nasty pitching though totally blind. My stepmother Grace Rodenfels Wharton, who was the 'driving' force behind us for several years because she had perfect sight and Lyman was blind. Mom, oh my, what that lady accomplished despite being born blind. You'll never understand. But my brother Darryl (Susan) Wharton, and sisters Beverly Echols, Bonnie Young and Ronda Thompson, all know those stories. There were five of us deeply, deeply saddened by our little brother Randy Lawson's untimely - and, I might add, way too young - death.

I also leave behind my estranged son James D. Wharton Jr. and his family.

Gone before me - and now I'm going to reunite with them, are my lovely wife Sharon, grandparents Claire and Clara Baughman, James and Emma Wharton. I'm also looking forward to seeing my in-laws, Robert (Popeye) and Betty Casteel. There wasn't a crazier man alive than old Popeye. And I never, ever made mother-in-law jokes about Betty. She was the salt of the earth.

I'm just thankful I got to know all of you. I'll see you on the other side.

Services were held Thursday, June 19th, at the Snyder Funeral Home, DeVore Chapel in Sunbury. Graveside services were held Friday, June 20th, at Bloomfield Cemetery near Sparta.

Memorial contributions can be made to Highland Community Park, c/o Highland Local School District, 1300 St. Rt. 314, Marengo, Ohio 43334-0098 or Compassus Hospice, P.O. Box 5197, Saginaw MI 48603-2363.To share a condolence or favorite memory please visit:www.snyderfuneralhomes.com