Charles E. Wheeler, age 87, of Friendship, Wisconsin passed away at the Veterans Hospital in Madison on Thursday, May 31, 2018.
Graveside memorial services with Military Honors will be 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 9, 2018, at Easton Cemetery. Pastor Terri Skildum of Arkdale Trinity Lutheran Church will officiate.
Charlie was born October 15, 1930, in Moline, Illinois to William and Nellie (Jensen) Wheeler. He graduated from Blue Island High School and went into the Air Force at age 18 as a B17 Navigator, which created a life-long interest in B17 aircraft.
Charlie and Henrietta (Pepol) Wheeler married in 1956 to 1974 and resided in Tinley Park, IL where they raised their daughter Renee. His long management career began at Jewel and continued at Sears, where he retired in 1991. While at Sears, Charlie met and married his second wife Jean (Wilson) in 1976 and helped raise her five children: Diane, Allan, Donna, Kenneth, and Michael. Charlie continued to raise and enjoy his blended family of children until his death.
Charlie and Jean retired from Sears in 1991 and moved to Friendship where he enjoyed cooking, entertaining, landscaping, and being with his grandson and family. He just couldn’t keep still and retired a 2nd time at age 80 from The Tool Shed in WI Rapids after 18 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents: William and Nellie Wheeler; his sister Ella Wheeler; and step-son Allan Rattunde.
Survivors:
Wife: Jean Wheeler, Friendship, WI
Daughter: Renee (Tom Kopanski) Tanner, Tinley Park, IL
Step-Daughters: Diane Rattunde & Donna Frantz, Friendship, WI
Step-Sons: Michael (Nadi) Rattunde, Addison, IL; Kenneth (Debbie) Rattunde, Schererville, IN
Sister-in-law: Janice Pierson, Sheboygan, WI
Special grandson Paul (Bobbie) Urbanczyk and great-grandchildren Celeste, Samuel, Annabella, and Charles Urbanczyk, Friendship, WI
Further survived by numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
Sorry for your loss.
We will miss you so very much Charlie you were a great friend. Ron & Marla