John T. Walton, an operations assistant in Penn Athletics, died by suicide on February 25. He was 29.

Born and raised in University City, Mr. Walton graduated from Penn Charter in 2008, earned an associate’s degree from Philadelphia Community College, and he was set to graduate this year with a bachelor’s degree in sports administration from Temple University.

Since June 2015, Mr. Walton had worked in Penn’s department of athletics and recreation as an operations assistant. Mike Martin, director of gameday operations at Penn, described him as a “great coworker, friend and just a good, genuine person that is hard to find these days.” Mr. Martin said he had “a real knack for event
management,” of baseball, softball, tennis, volleyball and soccer games.

Mr. Walton was also involved in the Fairmount Sports Association (FSA), first as a youth player and later as a volunteer baseball coach and association commissioner.

He is survived by his mother, Mary K.; brother, James; and godparents, Charles McCormack and Jane Barnsteiner.

A memorial meeting for worship will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at William Penn Charter School, 3000 W. School House Lane, Philadelphia.