Robert Lee Wheeler

Robert Lee Wheeler, 77, of Ottawa, died Saturday, December 2, 2006, at home after a long illness. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday at Gladfelter Funeral Home. Cremation will be accorded Private memorial services will be held later at Gladfelter Funeral Home with the Rev. Dale Katcher officiating. Burial of the cremains will be in Oakwood Memorial Park with full military honors at the committal services. Mr. Wheeler was born October 8, 1929, in Ashburn, Mo., to David and Hanna (Tomlinson) Wheeler. He married Maureen Devine Varney, October 26, 1996, in Seneca, Ill. He was a retired terminal manager from Tri-State Motors, Seneca, Ill., after 20 years of employment, and then worked as a partner, with his wife Maureen, for M&R Realty in Ottawa. He was a member of the Ottawa Knights of Columbus and belonged to the Kentucky Colonels of Louisville, Kent. He served as a staff sergeant in the U. S. Army from 1951 - 1953 in Germany, and was a member of the Ottawa American Legion Post No. 33. He is survived by his loving wife, three step-daughters, Peggy Ann (Greg) Whitmore of Orlando, Fla., Georgann (Tim) Shaffer of Morris, and Jayne Norris of St. Charles, Mo.; three grandchildren, Meghan (Juan) Ortiz of Bloomington, Ill., Gareth Beeson and Erin (Chris) Lutz of Morris; four step-grandchildren, Benton, Erica and Layne Norris, and Joshua Frye; 3 great grandchildren, Moses and Jolie Ortiz and Tristan Whitmore; a brother, Randall (Mary) Wheeler of Houston, Texas; a sister, Martha Keuhn of Arpin, Wis.; and a number of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two daughters, Joan in infancy and Patricia Chapman; two sisters, Mary Thorsen and Mildred Mosier; and two brothers, Raymond and Charles Wheeler. Memorials may be directed to the family.