Jack Wilhelm
Born: 1922 in Amherst, Ohio
Died: January 18, 2009 in North Ridgeville, Ohio
Family: Wife: Flossie (Price) died in 1979; wife: Fran (Dougherty) died in 1996.
Children: Jeff, Jonathan and Joel. 10 grandchildren. Four step-daughters: Kathy Major, Jayne Hughes, Nancy Strohmann and Patty Wright
Career highlights
Served in the U.S. Army Engineer Corps in World War II
Head coach for 33 years (Amherst, 1949-55; Vermilion, 1955-56; South Amherst, 1956-65; Lorain County Community College, 1965-81.
1955: Founder, Amherst Comet Track and Field Relays. Wilhelm’s relay meet began with only 4 teams on a 4-lane cinder track, but it eventually grew and evolved into the biggest one-day relays in the state on a 9-lane all-weather track
1962, ’64: Coached South Amherst High track champions Jack Hemminger (long jump, 1962) and Bruce Alexander (880 yards, 1964)
1966: Coached NJCAA All-American Gary Scarbough
1967: Initiated high school cross country course at LCCC
1967: Founded the Lorain County Cross Country Classic (renamed the Jack Wilhelm Classic in 1997)
1968: Bob Lichman (Elyria Catholic) and Terry Horn (Brookside) qualified to NJCAA Cross Country Nationals
1968: Co-founder of Lorain County Road Runners Club with Dick Cooley and Dick Elsasser
1969: LCCC cross country team qualifies to NJCAA nationals at Butler, Pa.
1969: Co-founder of the LCCC (now Penton Memorial) Turkey Trot 10K
1969-95: Meet director of Elyria Northeast Ohio District Cross Country meet at LCCC
1973: Co-founder Lorain County Track Officials Association
1977-78: Jeff Wilhelm, Jack’s son, is twice cross country All-American (top 25)
1977: Starts up LCCC track and field program
1977-78: Jackie Below is a four-time NJCAA All-American
Halls of fame
1991: Elyria Hall of Fame – 1st “Special Service” Award
1995: OHSAA Officials Hall of Fame
Other highlights
Jack completed four marathons, including two Boston Marathons. While training for his third Boston Marathon, he was struck by a hit-skip driver on Schwartz Rd. in Avon in March 1970. He was in the hospital for nearly three months and his doctors said his quick recovery was due to his physical conditioning over the years. Jack enjoyed gardening, especially roses, attending theater and traveling. He was involved in the elderhostel movement in his later years.
Education
1940: Amherst Steele High School
1949: Bowling Green State University, bachelor’s degree
1952: Northern Colorado University, masters degree