Wharton “Tinny” Biddle passed peacefully in his home in Jamestown, RI on January 5, at age 92.
He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Ann (Heath) Biddle. He is also survived by his 3 children: Peter Biddle (Nancy), Christopher Biddle (Janice), Tabby Biddle (Lee Schneider), 4 stepchildren: Steve Heath (Mary), Tim Heath, Susan Heath (Scott Wynn), James Heath, 11 grandchildren: James Biddle, Timothy Biddle, Chris Biddle Jr, Colin Biddle, Bodhi Biddle Schneider, Eloise Heath, Owen Heath, Sara Heath, Georgianna Wynn, Amanda Wynn, and Akira Heath. Tinny is also survived by Ann’s stepchildren: Jeff Heath, Scott Heath, 6 step-grandchildren, and 5 step-great-grandchildren.
Tinny was born in Philadelphia, the youngest of 5, to Brigadier General Nicholas Biddle and Sarah (Lippincott) Biddle. He is predeceased by his siblings: Joanna (Biddle) Johnson, Nicholas Biddle Jr., Sarah Lee (Biddle) Stokes, and John Scott Biddle.
Tinny grew up in Philadelphia and attended the Meadowbrook School, followed by the Kent School in Connecticut. During his younger years, his summers were always spent in Jamestown, Rhode Island at his parents summer home “Gulls Nest”, where he was surrounded by dozens of cousins, aunts and uncles who also summered there. After he graduated from Kent, he served in the US Army, then attended the University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Museum School of Art. He met and married his first wife, Tania (Gopcevic) Biddle, in Jamestown, RI, and they moved to Flourtown, Pennsylvania where they raised their 3 children.
Tinny worked as an insurance broker at Biddle & Co in Philadelphia, a firm started by his father and oldest brother. During his working years he and his family always returned to his roots in Jamestown during the summers. He would later retire there and and marry Ann, whom he had known most of his life from his summers in Jamestown. In his retirement years Tinny and Ann enjoyed traveling abroad as well as many creative endeavors. While at home, Tinny concentrated on drawing, painting, woodcarving, sailing, windsurfing, golf, tennis, and enjoying his extended family and friends. His paintings and other artwork were featured at the Jamestown Art Center. Tinny’s artistic endeavors also included playing The King in “The King and I”, a production at the Jamestown Community Theatre, and publishing a children’s book entitled “Timmy Sprite”.
He will be missed dearly. Memorial services for Tinny will be planned for Spring 2021. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Visiting Nurse Services of Newport and Bristol Counties at www.visitingnursehh.org or Jamestown Emergency Medical Services 50 Narragansett Avenue, Jamestown, RI. 02835.
