~ IN MEMORY ~
Military veteran, WA/DL Capt. Richard ‘Dick’
Wheeler
May 13, 1938 ~ November 14, 2018
Please forgive this belated news with the passing of retired
Western/Delta pilot Captain Richard Hill Wheeler, age 80. Captain Wheeler
joined Western Airlines 06-20-1966 and retired with Delta Airlines based
031/JFK .... please see email below indicating retirement in 2002. He is
survived by his wife Patty, their children and grandchildren. Captain Wheeler’s
*complete obituary may still be viewed online at
Should more information be received we will be sure to pass
along all updates.
Thank you,
~ Carol for the PCN
-------- Original message --------
From: Wallybird eNews <enews@wallybird.com>
Date: 11/26/18 18:17 (GMT-08:00) Subject: Passing of Richard (Dick Wheeler)
It is with
sadness that the family of Richard Hill Wheeler announces his passing after a
valiant four-month battle to recover from heart surgery. Dick, as he was called
by family and friends, died Wednesday, November 14, 2018, at Ogden Regional
Hospital in Ogden, Utah. He was 80 years old.
Dick and his wife, Patricia
Halloran Wheeler, long-time visitors, have been permanent residents of Ketchum,
Idaho, since 2004 when they moved to Ketchum from Laguna Beach, California.
Patty is the owner of Halloran & Sons Antiques in Ketchum.
Dick was born
May 13, 1938, in Perth-Amboy, New Jersey, to Kathryne Brennan and Bertram H.
Wheeler. He had one sibling, Norie Phyllis Wheeler Bellis, of Durham, New
Hampshire, who preceded him in death.
Dick was a graduate of Michigan State
University and a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. After graduating in 1960,
he attended Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia. He was commissioned
into the United States Marine Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant and was assigned to
Flight Training in Pensacola, Florida. He proudly served his country as a
helicopter pilot in Vietnam from 1964 to 1965. He was attached to Squadron
HMM-365.
After completing his military obligation as a Major, he became a
commercial airline pilot with Western Airlines, and then Delta Airlines. He
retired from Delta in 2002.
Dick loved living in the Wood River Valley. He
enjoyed fishing, skiing, golf, duck hunting and hiking with his Labradors, Hank
and Nick. Dick's love of flying never waned. In retirement he and Patty were
frequent fliers. He often combined his love of flying with his love for fine
food and fine wine, frequently sharing the latter with friends, while regaling
his guests with his phenomenal memory and his wit and humor.
Dick was very
proud of his grandchildren and always did his best to keep up with his Ketchum
and Texas grandchildren and their many skiing, soccer and swimming
accomplishments.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*complete obituary.........................
It is with sadness that the family of Richard Hill Wheeler announces
his passing after a valiant four-month battle to recover from heart surgery.
Dick, as he was called by family and friends, died Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018, at
Ogden Regional Hospital in Ogden, Utah, with his wife, Patty, and son, Andrew,
at his side. He was 80 years old.
Dick and his wife, Patricia Halloran Wheeler, longtime visitors, have
been permanent residents of Ketchum, Idaho, since 2004, when they moved to
Ketchum from Laguna Beach, Calif. Patty is the owner of Halloran & Sons
Antiques in Ketchum.
Dick was born May 13, 1938, in Perth-Amboy, N.J., to Kathryne Brennan
and Bertram H. Wheeler. He had one sibling, Norie Phyllis Wheeler Bellis, of
Durham, N.H., who preceded him in death.
Dick was a graduate of Michigan State University and a member of Phi
Delta Theta fraternity. After graduating in 1960, he attended Officer Candidate
School in Quantico, Va. He was commissioned into the U.S. Marine Corps as a
second lieutenant and was assigned to flight training in Pensacola, Fla. He
proudly served his country as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam from 1964 to 1965.
He was attached to Squadron HMM-365.
After completing his military obligation as a major, he became a
commercial airline pilot with Western Airlines, and then Delta Airlines. He
retired from Delta in 2002.
Dick loved living in the Wood River Valley. He enjoyed fishing, skiing,
golf, duck hunting and hiking with his Labradors, Hank and Nick. Dick’s love of
flying never waned. In retirement, he and Patty were frequent fliers. He often
combined his love of flying with his love for fine food and fine wine,
frequently sharing the latter with friends, while regaling his guests with his
phenomenal memory and his wit and humor.
Dick was very proud of his grandchildren and always did his best to
keep up with his Ketchum and Texas grandchildren and their many skiing, soccer
and swimming accomplishments.
Dick is survived by Patty, his wife of 35 years; and by his two
children, Dana Wheeler Fitzgerald of Ketchum, Idaho, and Andrew Jay Wheeler and
his wife, Melissa Barrett Wheeler, of Prosper, Texas. He also leaves behind six
grandchildren: Jordan Fitzgerald, Jay Fitzgerald and Lily Fitzgerald, as well as
Zachary Wachter, Avery Wheeler and Blake Wheeler.
He is also survived by three stepsons, Matthew Pierovich, John
Pierovich and Michael Pierovich and his wife, Sarah, of San Mateo, Calif. Dick
also leaves a niece, Meredith Bennett of Ridgewood, N.J., and a nephew, Patrick
Eldin Bennett of Charlotte, N.C.
Following his wishes, Dick will be honored at Arlington National
Cemetery in Arlington, Va., with interment of his ashes. The family will host a
celebration of life at the Ketchum family home on a date yet to be determined.
The family thanks everyone for their warm expressions of condolence.
