Rash's Surname Index
Notes for Joseph Samuel Lovering III WHARTON
Joseph Samuel Lovering Wharton III, better known as Sam, a noted preservationist, real estate developer, artist and avid sailor died at his home in Bailey's Bay on May 24. He was 82 years of age.
Mr. Wharton was born in Philadelphia in 1923 and moved to Bermuda with his mother Josephine Dodge Wharton in 1929.
During his early years he took a horse and buggy every Monday morning to Southampton where he attended boarding school at Somers College. From there he attended Whitney Institute and then went on to South Kent School and Admiral Billard Academy in the United States.
It was at Admiral Billard that he prepared for military service in Second World War. He was commissioned as an air officer in 1943, becoming at 20, one of the youngest pilots in the United States Army Air force. As a member of the famous Flying Tigers he piloted a B-24 Liberator in India and China.
After the War he worked in the aviation business and the yacht design business, for a time working with the legendary yacht designer, C. Raymond Hunt. An avid and fiercely competitive sailor all his life, and in boats of all sizes, Sam was a crew member of the twelve meter Easterner in the 1958 America's Cup trials and competed many times in the Newport Bermuda Race. He lived for the last 40 years on Harrington Sound, a body of water he loved and knew intimately from the many years of boating with his friends and family and the Sundays of sunfish racing at the Harrington Sound Sailing and Gliding Club. He also had the distinction of being the longest serving member of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club as he had joined at 11 years of age.
Sam moved back to Bermuda in 1960 and was a familiar figure on East Broadway at the firm of Ingham and Wilkinson. He went on to spearhead the development of Somers Wharf in St. George's. He loved the Old Town, in which he spent the bulk of his working years and tried his best to serve that community.
He was married three times, the last time to Phoebe Fisher, a Bermudian, for 54 years. He loved this Island, considered it a great privilege to live here and felt strongly that we should all work to preserve this beautiful place. He had an old fashioned notion that it wasn't proper to be a citizen of two countries and only recently changed his mind and applied for Bermuda status. Unfortunately he did not live long enough to be a Bermudian on paper but he died a Bermudian in his heart.
He is survived by his children Joseph Samuel Lovering Wharton IV, Alexander Barclay Wharton, James Dewitt Wharton, Bernard Mapes Wharton and George Fisher Wharton of the US and Fayelle Wharton Bush of Bermuda.
Also by his grandchildren Diana Wharton, Nicholas Wharton, Christopher Wharton, James Wharton, Nathaniel Wharton, Winthrop Wharton, Stone Wharton of the US and Jay and Christian Bush of Bermuda. He also had a great grandchild, Aston Wharton of the US.
By request of Mr. Wharton there is no funeral or memorial service. In lieu of flowers, and in honour of his passion for sailing and the sea, donations to the STS Spirit of Bermuda would be very welcome.
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