WILLIAM A. WHARTON

COLUMBIA - William A. Wharton was born on Dec. 12, 1934, in Abbeville. He passed away at the age of 88 on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023, in Columbia.

A celebration of life service for William will be held at 11 a.m. today at Bethel AME Church, 819 Woodrow St., Columbia.

The family will be receiving visitors from noon to 8 p.m. at 600 Saddlebrook Lane, Hopkins SC 29061.

William was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and served 20 years of active duty before retiring. After retiring from the Air Force, William worked at Santee Print Works in Sumter and retired from there as well. After his retirement, and before his health declined, William started selling clothes at his leisure in his home and was affectionately known by many as "the Suit Man." William will be missed by his family and all who knew and loved him.

William was preceded in death by his parents, John T. Pettigrew and Corrie Thompson Wharton; his sisters, Mary Battle, Permelia Tinch, Eva Wharton and Corrie Dawson; and brothers, James Wharton, Joseph Wharton, George Wharton and Harry Wharton.

Surviving him are his former wife, Alma Ware Wharton of Lugoff; his sons, William A. Wharton Jr. (Linda) of Hopkins, Don Wharton of Sumter and Glenn Wharton of Fayetteville, North Carolina; his daughters, Toni W. Butler (Glen) of Linden, Tennessee, Bobbie Wharton of Columbia, Sonya Sanders (Maria) of Rock Hill, Tonya Sanders-Commander (Eugene) of Blythewood and Terri Wharton of Lugoff; 12 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.