FAMILY members have paid tribute to Frank Wharton a former Headington United footballer and serviceman with the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
Born in 1920 to Frederick and Gertrude Wharton, of New Cross Road, Headington Quarry, Mr Wharton was one of five children, along with brothers and sisters Wynifred, Alfred, Charles, Joan, and Hubert.
As a young man, he played for Headington United - now Oxford United - before joining the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at the start of the Second World War.
He was wounded in May 1940 in Boulogne, France, then captured and held in a German prisoner of war camp for five years. On his release, he returned to Oxford where he met his future wife Elsie at a dance at the Holyoake Hall in Headington.
The couple married on March 4, 1950, and went on to have five children - Jean, now deceased, Harry, Sheila, Keith and Nigel.
They later had 14 grandchildren and great grandchildren and celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 2000.
In his spare time, Mr Wharton enjoyed gardening and ran bingo nights with his wife at Headington Quarry Village Hall.
His niece, Linda Wharton, said: "He always had time for us and for all the children and he was a very good husband to my aunt. He will be sadly missed."
He died on March 17.
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