Funeral set for ex-Graham wrestler, Jim Jordan’s nephew, killed in crash

The funeral for Eli Stickley — the former standout Graham High School wrestler and nephew of Congressman Jim Jordan killed in a crash — will be held Saturday, according to a funeral home notice.

Stickley, 21, wrestled at the University of Wisconsin and was the nephew of Jordan, R-Urbana, who married Stickley’s aunt.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Calvary Baptist Church, 1140 Rush Ave., Bellefontaine. Pastor Jeff Willetts will officiate, according to the Vernon Family Funeral Home website.

MORE: ‘I told him I loved him’: Graham coach reflects on wrestler killed in crash

Stickley is survived by his parents, Todd and Hope Stickley, and his twin sister Moriah.

“The strength of Eli’s relationships with Jesus, family and friends encapsulates what meant most to him,” a remembrance on the funeral home’s website said.

On July 5, Stickley was driving a black 2004 Nissan Frontier, headed west on Interstate 74 in Henry County, Ill., according to the Illinois State Police. The Nissan left the road into a right-hand-ditch, over-corrected and rolled across the westbound lanes of traffic. Stickley and a passenger, who was not identified by police, were taken to Illini Hospital in Silvis, where Stickley was pronounced dead.

Jeff Jordan, Jim Jordan’s brother and Stickley’s Graham coach, said Stickley was with his girlfriend and they were headed to Iowa to see Stickley’s twin sister and her boyfriend, four-time Graham High School state high school champion Alex Marinelli, who wrestles for the University of Iowa.

A starter at 141 pounds in 2017-18 season for Wisconsin, Stickley finished 21-14 and qualified for the NCAA championships. Stickley was a four-time state placer at Graham with a 185-22 record.

Read more coverage of Congressman Jordan:

» Former OSU wrestlers defend Jim Jordan

» Who is running against Rep. Jim Jordan?

» Who is Rep. Jim Jordan’s favorite liberal?

» Rep. Jim Jordan cruises to GOP nomination

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