Jack Wildes services

Richard Dunn

Longtime baseball umpire Jack Wildes, a familiar face among

Newport-Mesa School District players the last 40 years, died Friday after

a 10-month battle with cancer. He was 72.

A putting challenge and silent auction fund-raiser for Wildes was held

only six days prior to his death, an event organized by his son, Dave,

and daughter-in-law, Dana, of Costa Mesa.

This year, the first Jack Wildes Sportsmanship Award was presented at

the Wienerschnitzel Big West Invitational, a national high school

baseball tournament in Orange County. Wienerschnitzel is based in Newport

Beach.

A viewing will be held today from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Luyben

Family Mortuary in Long Beach. A funeral service will be Wednesday at 9

a.m. at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 17270 Ward Street, Fountain

Valley.

Wildes, who lived in Westminster, is survived by his wife, Marie,

three sons, Tim, Jim and Dave, and four grandchildren.