Class of 2023

Decatur Contributor

A 1963 graduate of Maroa-Forsythe High School, Sharron Jones was not very familiar with the sport of wrestling until she and Bob Jones were married. As he began to officiate the sport of wrestling, she would sit in the bleachers and knit Afghan’s until she had completed one for every member of the family. Deciding to make better use of her time, she began to keep score at the meets that Bob was officiating. Her love affair with wrestling had begun.

Starting as a scorekeeper at the Clinton Holiday Tournament, she has worked the Argenta Bomber Classic, Mattoon High School kids tournament, Mahomet-Seymour Marty Williams Invitational and IKWF wrestling tournaments as a scorekeeper, announcer and assistant tournament director for many years. She also assisted with the Shelbyville IKWF tournament and numerous regional, sectional and state tournaments for many years and has served as a scorekeeper at many area high schools during this time.

Sharron has worked as least 50 IHSA Regional and Sectional tournaments as a scorekeeper and began working as a bench official at the IHSA Individual State Tournament over 30 years ago and also works as a bench official at the IHSA Dual Team/Girls State Tournament. Several years ago, she moved to the head table to serve as communications director and produced the individual class lineups for the Grand March.

In addition to serving as a matchmaker for the Midwest Nationals tournament held each summer in Bloomington, Sharron has aided the IWCOA by helping with registration for the Mahomet-Seymour coaches and officials’ clinics.

In 1999 Sharron and Bob were selected as Grand Marshals for the IKWF State Tournament. She was named a “Friend of Wrestling” by the IWCOA and in 2011 received the Silver Level Special Recognition Award from the IWCOA. She also received the IWCOA Lifetime Service Award in 2015. In 2016 she was selected by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum-Illinois Chapter to receive the Lifetime Service Award to Wrestling.

Sharron has worked as a legal secretary since 1964 and has just recently retired serving the Macon County States Attorney. She is a charter member of the Macon-Moultrie Counties Legal Secretaries Association. Besides her grandkids, she has enjoyed knitting and bowling.