James "Winger" Osmund Wing

Jim was born on December 18, 1935 in Kenyon, Minnesota to Leona and Osmund Wing. He lived on a farm in Kenyon until the age of 10 when he and his family moved to Tucson. He attended Mansfeld Junior High School (where he first met his future wife Bess Acton) and then Tucson High School where he lettered in football, basketball, and baseball (playing on the 1954  state championship baseball team as a catcher). He then attended the University of Arizona where he played baseball until a serious shoulder injury ended his playing career. He graduated from the U of A with a B.A. in 1958 in Physical Education and then earned a Master’s degree in Education.

He married his high school sweetheart Bess Acton and they had an amazing 56 year love story until she passed away in 2015. Jim and Bess had three children, and he is survived by them, Michael (wife Pam Wing, children Lindsay Logan, Jacqueline Scheer, and Brody Wing, wife Janice Metzinger and step-daughter Maegan Boggs, wife Victoria Junkins and stepsons Matthew Naffier and Michael Naffier), Marc (wife Kelly, daughter Megan Wing), and Jamie (husband Brett, children Taylor Summers, Perry Summers, and Ryan Summers) and three great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Orene. Jim was preceded in death by his mother Leona and father Osmund, and his wife, Bess Wing.

Next to his wife Bess and his children, Jim’s great love and passions were baseball and fishing. Jim coached baseball at Tucson High School and Palo Verde High School and numerous summer league teams before teaming up with Jerry Kindall and Jerry Stitt at the University of Arizona.  The Kindall-Wing combination led to 3 national championships for Arizona Baseball in 1976, 1980, and 1986 (with Coach Stitt part of the 1980 and 1986 championship teams). One of Jim’s greatest joys was to have the privilege and honor to coach each of the young men he was blessed to be with over the course of his career at all levels. He often said that each player enriched his life immeasurably. Bess and Jim always opened their home to players anytime and all the time – especially at Thanksgiving. 

Jim loved to fish and was blessed to go on many fishing trips – whether in his beloved White Mountains, in the Gulf of Mexico, or in Alaska.  He often said there was never a bad day at the ballpark or fishing.  He loved teaching his grandkids to fish. He and Bess loved the White Mountains and took every opportunity to head up to the cabin on Branding Iron Loop in Pinetop. He loved playing cribbage and was competitive in all he did.

The Wing family would like to thank all of those who were part of Dad’s life all of these years – the ballplayers whom he loved and cherished spending time with, to the many parents that entrusted their sons to him to coach, to his many friends and colleagues over the years, to all those who took time to visit Dad in his declining years, a special thank you to caregivers Nancy Murphy and Michelle Adams and to the many wonderful caregivers at Atria and Starfish assisted living facilities, and to the many wonderful fans of Arizona Baseball. Reflecting upon his life, Jim said, “I hope I made a difference.”

A funeral service for Jim will be held on December 2nd from 1:30-3:30 pm at the Adair Funeral Home, Avalon Chapel, 8090 N. Northern Ave. Oro Valley, AZ 85704. From 1:30-2:00 there will be a service and visitation among family and friends will follow. To honor Jim and his love for Arizona Baseball, we ask that all of those who will be in attendance at the service to wear University of Arizona clothing.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made in Jim’s name to the YMCA’s Send a Kid to Camp program as follows: 

Make checks out to YMCA of Southern Arizona. Write Jim Wing/Send a Kid to camp donation on the memo line.

Send checks to:

YMCA of Southern Arizona

P.O. Box 350

Oracle, AZ 85623