James Robert Wilmoth's Obituary
James Robert Wilmoth, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, passed away quietly in his sleep on March 10, 2023 in the company of his daughter, pastor, and close friend. He was 93.
Born to Benton McMillan Wilmoth and Ida Mills Wilmoth in Winding Gulf, WV, “Bob” as he was commonly known, grew up in Beckley, WV where he began a life-long love of hunting, fishing, and the outdoors.
Following his graduation from Woodrow Wilson High School, he joined the United States Air Force in 1948, serving as a military police officer at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming until 1952.
Upon separation from service, he returned to Beckley, WV where he married his former high school classmate, Kathleen Ramona McGuire. The newlyweds moved west, where he attended Trinidad State Junior College in Trinidad, Colorado, majoring in Gunsmithing.
He completed his Bachelor of Science degree at West Virginia Institute of Technology in Montgomery, WV in 1957, then moved to northern Virginia and became an Industrial Arts teacher for the Fairfax County, Virginia public school systems, teacheing shop at Groveton, W.T. Woodson, and Chantilly High Schools.
During his career he spent one year away from public education, becoming the Associate Curator for the National Rifle Association’s office in Washington, D.C. in 1966. While teaching, he completed his Masters in Education from the University of Virginia in 1969.
Following his retirement he returned west, living in Montrose, Colorado for a number of years. However, the hunting opportunities he remembered from before were no longer abundant and he returned to his home state, settling in Martinsburg, WV where he could be close to his life-long friends.
Bob is preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Benton McMillan Wilmoth, Jr., and sister-in-law, Tressia (Snuffer) Wilmoth, formerly of St. Clairsville, OH.
He leaves behind his daughter, Martha Wilmoth Kleder of Fredericksburg, VA; his ex-wife, Ramona McGuire (Wilmoth) Ison of Locust Grove, VA; one nephew, Benton McMillan Wilmoth, III of Marysville, OH; and nieces, Susan (Wilmoth) Savage of Downer’s Grove, IL and Linda (Wilmoth) Landis of Lancaster, OH.
A funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at Found and Sons Funeral Chapel, 850 Sperryville Pike, Culpeper with Pastor Mike Moulden officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.
The family invites those unable to attend to view the service via livestream at https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTY3ODgxODk3MjI0MDk3OCZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw==
Interment will follow at Culpeper National Cemetery, 501 E. Chandler Street, Culpeper.
An online guestbook and tribute wall are available at www.foundandsons.com
Found and Sons Funeral Chapel of Culpeper is serving the family.
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