James Lininger Obituary

James A. "Jamie" Lininger

It is with our deepest sorrow that we announce James Andrew Lininger's passing. Jamie was born in Fostoria to Sharyn (Filliater) and James (Boe) Lininger on December 27, 1970.

He attended St. Wendelin Catholic School, where he participated in baseball and was one of the founding members of the high school golf team. He spent countless hours on his home basketball court with dear friends and his brothers. His love for card games began in his parent's basement. After high school, Jamie attended The Ohio State University and graduated with an undergraduate degree in Business. He later received his Bachelor of Education in Math from BGSU and Master of Education from University of Findlay.

Jamie and his high school sweetheart, Charlotte (Kirian) Lininger (New Riegel), were married at St. Wendelin Catholic Church on December 30, 1995. Jamie's greatest achievements in life were his three children, Jacquelyn of Upper Sandusky (fiance Aaron Poling), Kayleigh of New Riegel (fiance Brady Wright), and Justin of Cincinnati. He loved traveling with them and watching them compete in various activities. He lived his life to the fullest at every turn. He rarely turned down an opportunity to hang out with friends, even for late-night garage gatherings to watch sports, belting out "sing-along" classics, or sipping Bourbon.

Jamie's best friends are his brothers. Jeff (Vicki) preceded him in death in 2014. Jason (Carmen) lives in Alvada. When not spending time with his family, he could be found at New Riegel Schools, where he was a teacher for 26 years. He wore many hats at New Riegel, but making him most proud was being the softball coach for 17 seasons with a 331-133 winning record. He took pride in the fact that every player during his tenure appeared in at least one regional tournament. These included three appearances in the state semifinals.

Along with his coaching staff and the great parent support, he helped produce 19 All-Ohio players and was inducted into the Ohio High School Softball Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2021. Jamie was athletic director at New Riegel for several years. In his free time, he golfed. He knew where to find the best courses and could always find one of his many buddies to play. He organized numerous outings and always looked forward to the annual Michigan trip. He had two holes-in-one, the most memorable being at Threetops during one of the annual golf trips to Northern Michigan. His grandmother, Lucy Filliater (Arizona), was one of his biggest fans and taught him the game. Jamie was loved and respected by many people. He was a great son-in-law, brother-in-law, and uncle as well. He will be missed every day.

Family will be receiving friends from 2-8 p.m. Thursday, April 10, 2025, at Hoening and Son Funeral Home, 133 West Tiffin Street, Fostoria.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to make a donation to the family which will go toward the New Riegel Athletic Boosters to fund a Memorial Scholarship in Jamie's name. The family encourages you to wear your favorite Ohio State gear or golfing attire.

Visitation and Funeral Mass will be Friday, April 11, 2025, at All Saints Parish in New Riegel. There will be a private visitation for New Riegel students and their parents from 9-11 a.m. and open to the public from 11-12 p.m. Mass will be at 12 p.m. There will be a celebration luncheon at the American Legion following Mass.

Online expressions of sympathy and shared memories may be made by visiting www.hoeningfuneralhome.com.