Wallace "Wally" Donald Wheeler
October 1, 1932 — May 9, 2016
Wallace “Wally” Donald Wheeler, 83, of Earlville, Iowa, passed away at his home May 9, 2016, from health complications. Funeral Mass for Wally will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 13, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earlville, with burial in the church cemetery. Friends may call at the Clifton - Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Earlville, from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 12, and from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. on Friday.
He was born Oct. 1, 1932, to Minor and Jane (Rhodes) Wheeler in Hopkinton, Iowa. He married Mary Jean Kramer on June 11, 1956.
Wally started working right out of high school at Clifton’s Funeral Home and furniture store. Most of his life he was in the lumber business, working at Great Plains, Wickes, Hutchinson, Rock Island Millwork, and UBC. He retired in 1999 from UBC Lumber Company in Dubuque, Iowa.
Wally was on the Earlville Fire Department for 30 years, and served as Fire Chief. He was on the city council and Mayor of Earlville. Wally was a scoutmaster, little league coach, as well as “sideline referee and umpire for many years”. He was a member of St Joseph’s Church in Earlville and served as Eucharistic Minister, Trustee, and Council Member.
Wally loved the game of baseball and softball. Didn’t matter if it was his kids, grandkids, or complete strangers, he enjoyed watching them all. He was an avid Cubs fan and enjoyed going to the I-Cubs games in Des Moines.
Wally is survived by his wife Mary of 59 years; and his children, Dan (Connie) of Earlville, Deb (Duane) Roling of Dyersville, Doug (Michelle Wurth) of Omaha, Diane (Gary) Ross of Urbandale, Don (Tracy) of Ely, Dave (Heather) of Sumner, and Donna (Kerry) Pierce of Johnston; 24 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren; his in-laws, Leola Wheeler and Ollie Rater. Wally was a loving husband, father, grandfather and a friend to many people. He had very strong faith and lived each day by following the Lord.
He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings, Minor Jr., Bettie Rater, Ed and Annabelle Kane, and William; father and mother-in-law, Albert and Olive (Hunt) Kramer; Mary’s siblings, Ethel and Howard Scovel, Robert and Arlene Kramer, and Edward and Leta Holtz; and grandson, Kyle Wheeler.
He was born Oct. 1, 1932, to Minor and Jane (Rhodes) Wheeler in Hopkinton, Iowa. He married Mary Jean Kramer on June 11, 1956.
Wally started working right out of high school at Clifton’s Funeral Home and furniture store. Most of his life he was in the lumber business, working at Great Plains, Wickes, Hutchinson, Rock Island Millwork, and UBC. He retired in 1999 from UBC Lumber Company in Dubuque, Iowa.
Wally was on the Earlville Fire Department for 30 years, and served as Fire Chief. He was on the city council and Mayor of Earlville. Wally was a scoutmaster, little league coach, as well as “sideline referee and umpire for many years”. He was a member of St Joseph’s Church in Earlville and served as Eucharistic Minister, Trustee, and Council Member.
Wally loved the game of baseball and softball. Didn’t matter if it was his kids, grandkids, or complete strangers, he enjoyed watching them all. He was an avid Cubs fan and enjoyed going to the I-Cubs games in Des Moines.
Wally is survived by his wife Mary of 59 years; and his children, Dan (Connie) of Earlville, Deb (Duane) Roling of Dyersville, Doug (Michelle Wurth) of Omaha, Diane (Gary) Ross of Urbandale, Don (Tracy) of Ely, Dave (Heather) of Sumner, and Donna (Kerry) Pierce of Johnston; 24 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren; his in-laws, Leola Wheeler and Ollie Rater. Wally was a loving husband, father, grandfather and a friend to many people. He had very strong faith and lived each day by following the Lord.
He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings, Minor Jr., Bettie Rater, Ed and Annabelle Kane, and William; father and mother-in-law, Albert and Olive (Hunt) Kramer; Mary’s siblings, Ethel and Howard Scovel, Robert and Arlene Kramer, and Edward and Leta Holtz; and grandson, Kyle Wheeler.
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