James Leo “Dixie” Wiltshire

James Leo “Dixie” Wiltshire, 85, of Charles Town, passed away Thursday, June 11, 2015, at the Veterans Medical Center in Martinsburg.

Born April 26, 1930, in Millville, he was the son of Lewis Edward “Dixie” Wiltshire and Mary Elizabeth Kain Wiltshire.

He was a member of St. Peters Catholic Church in Harpers Ferry.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corp, serving during the Korean War.

Dixie retired from the insurance business serving Metropolitan Life for eight years and Peoples Life for 20 years.

Dixie graduated from Harpers Ferry High School in 1949, where he played football, basketball and baseball, earning nine letters. He was in the Hall of Fame Winchester Fast Pitch Softball. He was one of the first coaches of the Charles Town-Ranson Little League Basketball Teams, coaching for 11 years.

He was a life member of the Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge No. 948; and a member of the Jackson Perks Post No. 71, both of Charles Town; a life member of the 3rd Marine Division; a life member of the Harpers Ferry Alumni Association, which he helped organize October 1950 and served as president for 20 years and later the historian; and a member of the Harpers Ferry/Bolivar Veterans Association, which he helped organize in 1993 and served two years as commander. Dixie was also a member of the Martinsburg Marine Corp League. Dixie loved fishing and bird watching, especially along the rivers. He will miss the gang, men and women, he loved them all.

He is survived by three sons, James Michael Wiltshire, of Shepherdstown, Timothy Lewis Wiltshire and wife, Kazumi, of Yonago, Japan and Patrick Dale Wiltshire and wife, Audra, of Kearneysville; four grandchildren, Caroline Lee Natirboff and husband, Kahlil, of Washington, D.C.; Ray Michael, of Shepherdstown, Zachary Miguel, of Japan and Brannon Patrick, of Kearneysville; one sister, Genevieve Russell, of Martinsburg; many nieces and nephews; and many special dear friends over the years, loving them all, especially Paul Ranalli, Lewis and Gloria Meadows, Don and Alice Clendening, Dave and Frances Longerbeam, Scotty and Donna Faye Johnson and Ron Willis.

He was preceded in death by his lovely wife, Helen Dale Payne Wiltshire, who died in 2003; and three brothers, Earl B. Wiltshire, Merle R. Wiltshire and Glenn G. Wiltshire.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 17, at St. Peters Catholic Church in Harpers Ferry, with Father George Pucciarelli as the celebrant. Interment was in St. Peters Cemetery in Harpers Ferry.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. James Catholic Church Building Fund, 49 Crosswinds Drive, Charles Town, WV 25414 or Harpers Ferry Middle School, c/o Eric Vandell, 1710 W. Washington St., Harpers Ferry, WV 25425.

Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.eackles-spencerfuneralhome.com.