George Wigton, 93, Died; Staples Coach, Navy Veteran, Ohio State Class of 1956

George Wigton, an accomplished and beloved athlete, educator, and coach, passed away at home in the loving arms of his family on March 1, 2022.

George, born in 1929 in Oberlin, Ohio, was married for 70 years to his high school sweetheart, Eleanor Mahan. He served four years in the U.S. Navy, then attended Ohio State University where he played on the varsity basketball and track teams. He graduated in the class of 1956.

For nine years, he coached basketball, track and football at the University of Connecticut. He also taught and coached at Staples High School in Westport, Connecticut, before joining the Athletic Department at Bates College in 1965. He spent 31 years at Bates where he became the longest serving coach for basketball (20 years) and tennis (31 years) in the school's history. He also served as the head coach for men's soccer and men's and women's squash. He was Assistant Director of Athletics from 1974-1984, and retired in 1996.

Coach Wigton was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Intercollegiate Squash Racquets Association Hall of Fame. George and Eleanor traveled extensively and made friends around the world.

George is survived by his wife Eleanor; daughter Christy and her husband Ray, son Jeff and his wife Michele, son Andy and his wife Christine, daughter Sue and her husband Ken; grandchildren Ben, Matt, Paul, Emmy and Nick Pasquale, Andrew and Spencer Wigton, Drake, Kyle and Adam Smith, and Noah Wigton; and great-grandchildren Isabella Pasquale, Malaya and Simone Pasquale, Ayla Wigton, Avi Smith, and Arrow, Galilee, and Juniper Wigton. George was predeceased by his parents, Charles E. and Elizabeth (nee Lowry) Wigton, and his two brothers, Charles and William Wigton.

A Celebration of Life ceremony will be scheduled in early June. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a gift in George's memory to the Androscoggin Hospice House, 15 Strawberry Avenue, Lewiston, Maine, 04240, or donate online at Androscoggin.org; or the Maine Veterans' Home South Paris Activity Fund, 477 High Street, South Paris, Maine, 04281, or donate online at Mainevets.org/locations/southparisdonations. Memories may be shared in his Book of Memories at www.wilesrc.com. Cremation care and memorial services are being cared for and provided by the Wiles Remembrance Center, 137 Farmington Falls Road, Farmington.