Paul Theodore Wharff

Paul Theodore Wharff, age 71, died on Sunday, July 9, 2023 at MercyOne Hospital in Des Moines. He was born to Robert “Bill” William and Mary Kathleen (Allen) Wharff on January 5th, 1952, in Des Moines, Iowa. Paul was the third child, he joined his older brothers Steve and Tom, and the family later welcomed his younger sister, Sue.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, July 14, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. at All Saints Catholic Church, 650 NE 52nd Ave, Des Moines, IA 50313. Visitation will be held two hours before the service at the church. A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, July 14, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. at Benchwarmers, 705 S Ankeny Blvd, Ankeny, IA 50023.

The Wharff family moved to Ankeny in 1965. Paul attended Dowling High School until he was transferred to Ankeny High School as a sophomore, where he graduated with the class of 1970. Always a comedian, he enjoyed entertaining his numerous friends (and teachers) with his unconventional witticisms. From his youth he demonstrated strong principles of fairness and social justice. He was once suspended from Ankeny High School for wearing a black arm band in protest of the Vietnam War, although it is rumored that later Ankeny High School reversed its ban on such political symbolism. In high school, he played bass guitar for the garage band, Tollmen. Fifty years later, he confessed to his former bandmates that he always turned the volume down low on his guitar so no one could hear him playing! As a young adult, he was a roadie for another band, Sunday Social.

Upon graduation, Paul lived and worked in Colorado, Kansas, Nevada, and California. He eventually returned to the Des Moines area where he was introduced to the love of his life, Juli Duncan, whom he had the great sense to marry on October 17, 1992. Paul and Juli then lived in Houston, TX and Overland Park, KS, where he retired from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). After Juli’s retirement from Principal Financial Group, they returned to Urbandale to live closer to family and friends.

Paul never had an unkind word for anyone and was loved as a loyal and trusted brother and friend, and he was chosen to be the best man for many grooms. His trivia skills were legendary, especially rock music trivia. If you wanted to be on the winning side of a trivia game, you schemed to score Paul as your partner! Paul loved animals, especially his cats, Hawkeye, Sonny and Sister. He was an avid Hawkeye fan who rarely missed a televised game. Never an athlete himself, he taught Juli how to play shuffleboard and promptly lost to her.

He passed away from complications due to pulmonary fibrosis on Sunday, July, 9th, 2023, surrounded by his family. Paul was preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Kathleen; brothers, Steve and Father Jonah (Tom); and an infant brother, John and brother-in-law, Bill Duncan. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Juli Duncan; his sister, Sue (Randy) Garvey; Brother-in-law, Jim (Lynelle) Duncan; sisters-in-law, Molly Duncan, Valarie Johnson and Jackie Duncan and numerous nieces and nephews.

In loving memory of Paul, memorials may be directed to the Animal Rescue League of Des Moines, donate online at https://www.arl-iowa.org/donate/other-ways-to-give/, Bishop Drumm Retirement Center, 5837 Winwood Dr, Johnston, IA 50131, and the Urbandale Food Pantry, 7611 Douglas Ave #34-35, Urbandale, IA 50322 .

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.AnkenyFuneralHome.com for the Wharff family.