 1923 - 2004
-
| Suffix |
Sr |
| Born |
7 Apr 1923 |
Willmar, Kandiyohi, Minnesota, United States  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Name |
William Jerome Wheeler [1] |
| Occupation |
farmer [1] |
| Died |
4 Jan 2004 |
Saint Ignatius, Lake, Montana, United States |
| Cause: of injuries sustained in car accident |
| Buried |
15 Jan 2004 |
Saint Ignatius, Lake, Montana, United States |
| Notes |
- Social Security Number: 517-20-3852
The state listed in the birth locality field is where the Social Security Number was issued. The zip code listed in the death locality field is the last place of residence.
Death Residence Localities
ZIP Code: 59865
Saint Ignatius, Lake, Montana
St Ignatius, Lake, Montana
Obituary from archive of local newspaper, the Missoulian:
William J. 'Bill' Wheeler
ST. IGNATIUS - William J. "Bill" Wheeler, our beloved husband, father, uncle and friend, passed peacefully into the arms of the Lord on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2004, from injuries sustained in an auto accident on Dec. 31, 2003. He was 80 years old.
Bill was born in Willmar, Minn., on April 7, 1923, to his loving parents, Thomas and Emily (Rosenquist) Wheeler. The youngest of 10 children, his family came to Montana when Bill was 2.
In 1941, at the age of 18, Bill went to Vallejo, Calif., to Mare Island Navy Yard to work on submarines. He was promoted early and had men serving under him, of which he was very proud. He was there when Pearl Harbor was bombed.
Around 1943, he came back to Montana and ranched. He mined with his brothers in Salmon, Idaho. During his life, he ranched, mined, owned and operated Wheeler Village Mobile Home Park and owned and operated Wheeler Village Store.
In the late '70s and early '80s he manufactured his own mining equipment and packaged and sold barite. He mined gold at Douglas Creek near Drummond. At the time of his death, he had a large cattle ranching operation, which he enjoyed immensely, at Post Creek.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Thomas, Joseph, Michael and John; sisters, S. Marie (Osborne), Frances (Van Dusen) and Mary Wheeler; an infant daughter, Bridget; grandson, Brian Van Gieson; and a special nephew to his heart, little Jimmy Wheeler.
He is survived by his sisters, Dorothy Ryan and Katherine Phillips.
Children born to himself and Blanche Lanoue Wheeler are Mary (Bob) Van Gieson of Washington, William (Yvonne) Wheeler of Superior, Emily (Lee) Van Gieson of Wyoming, Frances (Bob) King of Missoula, Katherine (Tim) Hammond of Missoula, Michelle (Peter) Wilkins of Washington, Judith (Wayne) Maxwell of Missoula, Thomas Wheeler of Superior, Michael Wheeler of Arizona, Joseph (Linda) Wheeler of Missoula, Dorothy Wheeler of Missoula, John (Mary) Wheeler of Missoula and Peter Wheeler of Missoula.
His loving wife, Judy, and the children born to them are Billie (Brian) Anthony of St. Ignatius, Paul (Dana) Wheeler of St. Ignatius and Shane (Donna) Wheeler of St. Ignatius, who was raised by Bill and was always there to help him; stepson Randy (JoAnn) Rupert of Polson; a special grandchild, Julieann Wheeler; and numerous grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
We know he would like to give a final tip of his cowboy hat in thanks to nephew Kenny Pierce, who was always happy to give a helping hand and was out during Bill's crisis feeding and caring for his cattle and still continues to be in the cold and helping his uncle Bill.
Rosary will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, at the St. Ignatius Catholic Mission. Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m.Thursday at the St. Ignatius Catholic Mission with Father Andrew Maddock S.J. as celebrant. Interment will follow at the St. Ignatius Catholic Cemetery.
Foster & Durgeloh Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
|
| Person ID |
I515 |
Doddema |
| Last Modified |
15 Apr 2010 |
| Father |
Thomas Matthew WHEELER, b. 1 Oct 1868, Willmar, Kandiyohi, Minnesota, United States , d. 6 Aug 1952, Missoula, Missoula, Montana, United States |
| Mother |
Emelie Josephine ROSENQUIST, b. 10 Aug 1877, Atwater, Kandiyohi, Minnesota, United States , d. 28 Jul 1957, Missoula, Missoula, Montana, United States |
| Married |
24 Feb 1897 |
Atwater, Kandiyohi, Minnesota, United States |
| Family ID |
F55 |
Group Sheet |
| Family |
Living |
| Children |
| > | 1. Living |
| > | 2. Living |
| > | 3. Living |
| > | 4. Living |
| > | 5. Living |
| > | 6. Living |
| > | 7. Living |
| > | 8. Living |
| > | 9. Living |
| > | 10. Living |
| | 11. Bridget WHEELER, b. 13 Feb 1962, Missoula, Missoula, Montana, United States , d. 13 Feb 1962, Missoula, Missoula, Montana, United States |
| | 12. Living |
| > | 13. Living |
| | 14. Living |
|
| Family ID |
F52 |
Group Sheet |
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| Sources |
- [S166] Montana, Missoula County, Missoula - birth certificate, birth certificate no. LR #828, Birth #125 (1952), Cathrine Ellen Wheeler..
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