Donald L. Wharton

Donald L. Wharton, 71, of Independence, MO passed away November 16, 2004. Services will be 10 am Friday, November 19th at Carson-Speaks Midtown Chapel; with interment in Mt. Moriah Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday from 7 to 8:30 pm at the Chapel. Donwas born March 5, 1933 in Otterville, MO to Virgil H. and Ethel Harbit Wharton. He was married to Ruth Coffey on July 28, 1955. He was a member of First Christian Church in Independence, and a member of the American Legion. His wife survives him. He is also survived by a daughter and son in law, Brenda and Jeff Butrum, a son and daughter in law, Leon and Lori Wharton and 3 grandchildren, Kyle Butrum, Whitney Butrum, and Marissa Butrum. Other survivors include one brother, Robert Wharton, and one sister, Cleo McAllister, a number of nieces and nephews. A son, Larry Lee Wharton, his parents, 1 brother and 4 sisters, preceded him in death. When God sets the dinner table in heaven there is a new member at his table. All of us that knew Don know that there is a lot more laughter around that dinner table tonight. He is a man that loved his wife, his children, his grandchildren and his friends. He loved to travel and wherever he went he never met a stranger. He had the uncanny ability to travel anywhere in the United States and see someone he knew. He loved to go camping, especially with Bob and Waneta Matney and he loved a good campfire. He loved to fish. He loved to watch his grandchildren�s ball games. No matter what the sport or the weather, you would find Don on the sidelines in his lawn chair cheering for a score and shouting encouragement. But the one thing that defined Don�s life was that he loved telling a good story. Sometimes it was hard to tell whether the story was real or a total fabrication. Fact or fiction, it never seemed to matter to anyone that heard the story, it was what Don loved. You could always count on the story having lots of laughter. The laughter came from both Don and the people listening. Sometimes the laughter overcame the end of the story. It didn�t matter, the pleasure Don received from telling the stories was why we always listened, no matter how the story ended. Tears for our loss now replaces the laughter. We hope that with the strength that God�s love provides we will someday be able to laugh again in celebration of Don�s life and the joy and laughter he brought to us each day.