James Todd VanDervort

James Todd VanDervort, age 88, of New Vienna, passed away Friday, February 11, 2022, at Clinton Memorial Hospital.  He was born June 2, 1933 in San Diego, California, the son of the late Harold Hanford and Mary (Davenport) VanDervort.  Jim graduated from Wilmington High School and Wilmington College.  He then taught Industrial Arts in the Parma Ohio City Schools.  He came back to Wilmington and opened VanDervort Garage.  He partnered in the business with Richard Fisher and the business became V+F Garage.  Jim then taught Auto Mechanics at Laurel Oaks.  He was instrumental in starting the Aviation Program at the school.  He was very interested in cars, motorcycles, and airplanes.  He actually built an airplane following the Pietenpohl Plans.  He owned and flew airplanes for several years.  Jim and his grandson Matthew flew with the “Seventy Knotters” and visited several airports each summer.  Jim was a member of the I.O.O.F.  Lodge, the Old Car Club, and the Classic Gold Wing Motorcycle Club.  He enjoyed meeting and visiting with other pilots at the airport known as Barnett’s Air Field near Martinsville.  Jim is survived by his wife, Janice Murray VanDervort; daughter Valarie (David) Reed of Mason; son James Victor (Tammy) VanDervort of Leesburg; sister Rebecca (Jim) Thumma; grandchildren, Deirdra Smith, Timothy (Janice) Reed, Amy (Timothy) Kibbey; Ann (Josh) Zerkle, Matthew VanDervort, Erika (Nic) Miller, and Jessica (Matt) Ames; great grandchildren, Cody and Austin Ashcraft, Sam and Seth Reed, Reed, Simon, and Jonah Kibbey, Jill and Leak Zerkle, Madelyn and Lincoln VanDervort, Kate and Garrett Miller, and Amelia Ames; along with several nieces and nephews.  In addition to his parents, Jim is preceded in death by a daughter, Jo Ellen Wheeler; and sister and brother-in-law Priscilla and Donald Harte.  Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Monday, February 21, 2022, at the Wilmington Church of Christ.  Dale McCamish will officiate.  Burial will follow in the New Antioch Cemetery.  Visitation will be held Sunday, February 20, 2022, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Wilmington Church of Christ.  Brown Funeral Home, Wilmington, is assisting the family.  To leave an on-line condolence, please visit www.arehart-brown.com, or see our Facebook page, Brown Funeral Home. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of James Todd VanDervort, please visit our floral store.