Wheeler, Donald F.

Donald F. Wheeler, age 82, of Victoria, Illinois died at 8:35 A.M. on Tuesday, September 2, 2014 at the Knox County Nursing Home, Knoxville, Illinois.

He was born on January 13, 1932 in Moline, Illinois the son of Glenn and Grace Havenor Wheeler. He graduated from Reynolds High School in 1950. He married Donna Lea Terry on July 25, 1952 in Rock Island, Illinois. She preceded him in death on February 15, 2005.

Surviving are his children: Joni (Tom Wrona) Wheeler of Galesburg, Illinois, Jim Wheeler of Orion, Illinois, Vicki (Jerry) Fox of Victoria, Illinois and Sally (Lynn) Bowman of Oneida, Illinois; six grandchildren, Jeremy Fox, Ryan Fox, Melissa Fox, James (Jessica Haun) Wheeler, Andrew (Karlie) Bowman, and Elizabeth (Matthew) Hulsizer; two great grandchildren, Cohen Fox and Ryker Bowman. Also surviving are his siblings, Bernard Wheeler of Rock Island, Illinois, Darlene Caudill of Coal Valley, Illinois, Glenn (Peggy) Wheeler of Illinois City, Illinois, Janet Monholland of Davenport, Iowa, Gary (Paula) Wheeler of Sparta, Wisconsin, and Karen Leonard of Davenport, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife.

He joined the Marine Corps Reserve in June of 1950 and was activated on August 8, 1950. He served his Boot Camp training at Camp Pendleton, California. In January 1951 he left for Korea, stopping in Japan, Kobe and Kuska, and landing in Pohan South Korea. He was reclassified H & S Co, 3rd Battalion 5th Regiment, 1st Marine Division. He left Korea in 1952, went to Japan and then in San Diego was honorably discharged having attained the rank of Sergeant.

In 1952 he worked at International Harvester Factory, then the Rock Island Arsenal. In 1954 he went to work for the Eliza Telephone Company as a lineman, when the country was switching from crank phones to rotary phones. In 1957 he became lineman and manager of Victoria Mutual Telephone Company until 1959 and then it was bought out by Mid Century Telephone Company and he worked as installer repairmen until he retired in 1994.

He spent many vacations with his family fishing, camping and enjoying the outdoors.

He was a charter member of Little John Conservation Club and member of the Charles Warrensford American Legion Post #726. He was confirmed at the Rock Island United Methodist Church, and then re-baptized at the Oaks Community Church in Dahinda, Illinois.

Funeral Services will be held at 12:00 Noon on Thursday, September 4, 2014 at the Hurd-Hendricks Funeral Home in Knoxville, Illinois. Rev. Marty Briney and Rev. Russ Theobald will officiate. Visitation will be held from 11:00 AM to 12:00 Noon on Thursday, September 4, 2014 at the Hurd-Hendricks Funeral Home in Knoxville, Illinois. Military Rites will be conducted by the Charles Warrensford America Legion Post #726. Fellowship will follow the funeral services at the Hurd-Hendricks Fellowship Center, before the Graveside services at the Reynolds Cemetery in Reynolds, Illinois, where Rev. Don Reynolds will officiate. Memorials may be made to Little John Conservation Club, Charles Warrensford American Legion Post #726, Victoria United Methodist Church or The Oaks Community Church. On-line condolences or sympathy cards may be sent through www.hurd-hendicksfuneralhome.com

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