Joan M. Wharton

Joan McPherson Wharton, 3/3/1936 – 11/11/2023. To know her was to love her. Joan Wharton, 87, passed peacefully in her home on November 11, 2023, surrounded by her loving family doing what she loved most, watching the Tigers play. She lived a long, blissful, and beautiful life that ended with a short battle with dementia. Joan never lost her ability to make someone smile, commonly with a witty one liner that she always seemed to come up with at the right time. Everyone she met immediately fell for her charisma and her vibrant way of life. She was quick to tell someone how pretty they were and how much they were loved. She never missed an opportunity to watch the LSU Tigers play and treasured the years her son played on the football team. Her love for her husband, her friends and family, and her LSU Tigers was immeasurable. Everyone will miss her spunky spirit and her uncanny ability to tell it like it was! Joanie was born in Winnfield before her family moved to the place she called home- Oak Grove, Louisiana. She was proud to tell stories of her days picking cotton as a child and developing a strong work ethic. She graduated from Oak Grove High School in 1954 before attending Northeast in Monroe where she graduated with honors and met the love of her life, Jim. She often said she went from a C average to the honor roll because the only place they could go on a date was the library. They were married on November 23, 1956. After graduating, she taught PE and coached girls' basketball at Delhi High and Ouachita High. They moved to Baton Rouge where she taught at Baton Rouge High and Prescott Junior High before moving to Huntsville, AL where Jim worked for NASA. After returning to Baton Rouge, she helped start the daycare and Preschool at St. John's Methodist Church. This is where her love for children shined as she took on any role needed- cooking, cleaning, and even dressing up as the Easter Bunny. She continued with her love of children, becoming the Coordinator of Special Education for the Louisiana Department of Education and then served at the Division of Administration as the Director of the state planning office, from where she retired in 2007. Regardless of her demanding career, she was best known for her commitment to her family. She never missed an important event. Grandparent's Day, Fourth of July Kenilworth Parade, baseball and football games, choir shows, and holidays (Christmas was her favorite) were some of her most treasured days. It was always comforting to know Maw Maw would be there. Joan overwhelmingly donated her time and efforts to her community. She was very well known for her commitment to the Baton Rouge Rotary Inner Wheel Club. Serving as President was the achievement that Joan was most proud of. She was one of the founding members of the Annual Trash and Treasure Sale with her closest and dearest friends. Each year various organizations received funding from the sale to continue serving the Baton Rouge community. Her recruitment of all family and friends, who were honored to work alongside her, was uncanny. It was here that she celebrated her birthday every year! Every family member still has something in their house today that was purchased from the attic trash and treasure to help the community. She was proceeded in death by her husband, LSU Chancellor Emeritus James H. Wharton. Her parents James A. McPherson, and Dovie Smith McPherson and her siblings; two brothers, Claud Casey and James Donald McPherson; four sisters, Juanita Berryman, Gloria Mathews, Lawanda Smith and Lynn Gugliuzza. She is survived by her loving children, Dr. John Scott Wharton (Bridget Wharton) and Commissioner of Elections Sherri Wharton Hadskey. She was very proud of her five grandsons, Beau Hadskey (Ashby Tonore Hadskey) and Alex Hadskey, Jake Wharton (Camille Arceneaux Wharton), Sam Wharton and Will Wharton. She is also survived by her two beautiful great granddaughters, James Ashby "Jimmie" Hadskey and Jessie Claire Wharton. We would like to express our deepest gratitude for her dear friends, in particular Phyllis Taylor and Jeanette McMurry for all the love, kindness and support provided throughout the years. We would also like to thank The Hospice of Baton Rouge and her faithful nurse Sally DeGreenia and her wonderful sitters, Princess, Gilda, Shena, Jackie, Florence, Regina, Shana, Brenda, Ann, Vanessa, and Mary. Joan loved each and every one of you and we could not have made it through the past few years without you. Visitation will be held Thursday November 16, 2023 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government Street, Baton Rouge, followed by a private family service Friday November 17, 2023 at Greenoaks Memorial Park.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.rabenhorstdowntown.com for the Wharton family.