By Andrea Cordle
Southwest Editor
Wood carvings by the late Jim O’Harra are now on display at the Grove City Welcome Center and Museum. Here is one titled Ladies Night – Free Beer.
Those who knew Jim O’Harra said he was a talented man with a keen sense of humor.
That talent and humor is now on display at the Grove City Welcome Center and Museum. The new exhibit features numerous wood carvings by the late Jim O’Harra. His wife, Sue, let the museum borrow the carvings for the special exhibit.
According to Sue, Jim’s goal with his wood carvings was to capture life with a smile. He loved caricature carvings. On display are carvings of animals, classrooms, a rocking horse and a large ‘Cat in the Hat’ piece.
“He would just carve whatever he thought of,” said Sue. “He was very good at detail.”
Many of his wood carvings showcase Jim’s whimsical sense of humor. He was able to keep his humor and positive attitude despite major adversity.
In 1968, just a few months after getting married to his high school sweetheart, Sue, Jim was drafted in the Army and sent to Vietnam as a field medic. Several months after going to Vietnam, Sue received a telegram saying Jim was seriously wounded in action. He was shot in the back. As a result, he had a spinal cord injury. Jim woke up paralyzed from the neck down.
That Western Union Telegram is on display at the museum, along with the wood work.
After months of therapy, Jim was able to use his hands and move his upper body. He then learned to walk with a cane, though he was told he would never walk again. Most of his adult life was spent either using a wheelchair or walking with a cane.
“He never gave up,” said Sue. “He always looked at what he could do instead of what he couldn’t do.”
After serving in the military, Jim went back to school to study architectural drafting and design. He worked full-time at the Defense Construction and Supply Center for 37 years.
A co-worked introduced Jim to wood carvings. Once he got started, wood carving became a passion for Jim.
According to Sue, Jim joined wood carving groups and took classes to learn everything he could about the craft. He traveled around the country to attend carving shows and hone his skills. He would bring home ideas and get to work.
Sue said there is a room in the house for all her husband’s wood carvings.
Jim died in January of 2015. He was a Purple Heart Recipient.
The exhibit featuring wood carvings by Jim O’Harra is now on display at the Grove City Welcome Center and Museum, 3378 Park St., through June 30. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with extended hours on Tuesday. For more information, call the museum at 614-277-3061.
