James Alan Whelchel

James Alan Whelchel, 45, of Newbury, Ohio, passed away on Sunday, May 4, 2025. Born on September 1, 1979, to Ed and Irma Whelchel, James was a true jack of all trades with a deep curiosity for how things worked. Whether he was getting his hands dirty as a grease monkey or expressing his creativity as an artist, James lived life with passion and ingenuity.

He will be deeply missed by his fiancée, Catherine Wojtasik; his mother, Irma Whelchel; his children, Emily, James, Kennedy, and Ariel and Hunter; his stepchildren, Allyse and Katlin; his siblings, Edward, Robert, and Luke Whelchel; his sisters, Lisa (Chris) Coblentz and Lena (Leroy) Miller; as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

James was preceded in death by his father, Ed Whelchel; his grandparents, Roman and Magdalena Troyer, and Bo and Wanda Whelchel.

Family and friends are invited to calling hours on Monday, May 12, 2025, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM, and on Tuesday, May 13, from 9:00 to 10:00 AM at Sly Family Funeral Home, 15670 W. High Street, Middlefield, Ohio. A funeral service will follow at 10:00 AM, officiated by Pastor Paul Ware. Burial will take place afterward at Orwell Cemetery in Orwell, Ohio.

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