 |
Director 2001 - 2002
Billy J. 'Bill' Wheeler Waynesville, MO Lebanon, MO QCWA # 27702 Chapter 180 |
Bill WHEELER
July 18, 1939 - April 17, 2020
Longtime Lebanon Civic Leader Bill Wheeler passed away Friday after a long illness. Wheeler worked countless hours for the benefit of the Lebanon community including spending time as Mayor Pro Tem for the city part of his duties as a member of the Lebanon City Council, he was also responsible for the early organization of the Laclede County Civil Defense Group which later became the office of Emergency Management for Laclede County.
He founded the Laclede County Route 66 Society and was instrumental in getting the Route 66 Museum built in the Lebanon-Laclede County Public Library.
Wheeler, was U.S. Army and National Guard Veteran, Former Principal and teacher at Joel E Barber, Served as Events coordinator at the Cowan Civic Center and Past President of the Lebanon Rotary Club, to name just a few of his accomplishments for the benefit of the community.
He was an avid HAM Radio Operator and was responsible for hundreds of people receiving their Operators Licence.
Bill is survived by a son, David Wheeler and his wife Tammy of Lebanon; step-son, Gerry Darnell and his wife, Julie Ann, of Fayetteville, Arkansas;one sister, Judy Akers of Lebanon; three grandchildren, Annie Henry, Kylee and Kirstyn Rust; two great-grandchildren, Gage Newell and Zoey Nava; other relatives and friends.
He was proceeded in death by his parents, and his wife Deanna on May 7, 2017.
There are no services planned at this time for Bill. At his request, his body is to be cremated under direction of Shadel's Colonial Chapel.
Memorials have been suggested to the Lebanon Laclede County Library, and donations in memory of Bill can be left at or mailed to Shadel's Colonial Chapel, P.O. Box 948, Lebanon, MO 65536
Information received from Bernie, W3UR. Daily DX.
KØDEW, Bill J. Wheeler, of Lebanon, Missouri, USA, has died at the age of 80 after a several-week-long illness ultimately diagnosed as stomach cancer. He did not recover from a stroke he had several days ago. Bill was the primary organizer of several ham meetings in Lebanon (Missouri). He was well known as a collector of Collins radios and was an accomplished technician. His lifelong friend with a similar callsign, KØDEQ, Bill Morgan, says he will most be remembered as "being the guy to whom any ham or aspiring ham could approach and receive all the help and assistance within his power to give." He was a DXer throughout his 65 years as a ham, and was only missing Crozet to have them all. KØDEW had 339/350 (current/total) countries confirmed in the ARRL DXCC Mixed standings.
