Arthur Emrie Wharton Jr.'s Obituary
Arthur Emrie Wharton, Jr., passed away surrounded by family on the evening of January 13, 2019, in Gainesville, Florida. Art was a devoted husband; a loving father and grandfather; a caring brother and son; a talented oil painter; a respected pharmacy professional; a skilled Navy cryptographer; a home-improvement tour de force; a genealogy enthusiast; a jitterbug, twist, and swing king; a crossword master; a dog-lover; a crime mystery reader; and a dear, dear friend to many.
At the age of 18, Art put himself through pharmacy school at the Southern School of Pharmacy—now Mercer University—where he later earned his Masters in Pharmacy Administration. After earning his undergraduate degree, he joined the United States Navy, serving four years as lieutenant and five years in the Reserve.
After his military service, Art began an illustrious 57-year career in pharmacy, leadership, management, teaching, and as a state pharmacy executive. Art spent the last 17 of those years as the Director of Continuing Education at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Florida. Throughout his career, Art received numerous awards recognizing his talent and dedication.
Arthur remains in the hearts of his family: his wife of almost 35 years, Jan; his children, Trey, Lesley, Elaine, and Robert; his grandchildren, Averi, Lyndsey, and Travis; and his niece, Roxanne.
A celebration of Art’s life will take place at Celebration United Methodist Church at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Lung Association, https://action.lung.org/site/Donation or the American Heart Association, 3324 West University Avenue #128, Gainesville, FL 32607.
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