Herman Edward Wheeler Jr.

Ed was born in Dallas, Texas on January 20, 1942 to Herman Edward Wheeler, Sr. and Margie Lorene (Stidham) Wheeler.

After graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1960, Ed went to work for the forestry services in Washington state. After returning home to the Dallas area, he heeded the call to his country, and joined the army. He served two years in the U.S. Army Security Agency, at Kagnew Station, in Ethiopia. After his discharge, he came back to the Dallas area and worked as a manager of a grocery store, drove a taxi, and then began working at Texas Instruments (T.I.).

Ed was blessed with three children, who he loved deeply. He was an active father and loved coaching his daughter in soccer, basketball and slow pitch softball, through the Girls Club of Sherman.

During his time at T.I., he met and married Marjorie Elane Campbell, who went on to encourage him to complete a degree in engineering. He received his bachelor’s degree from East Texas State University in 1984. This led to a promotion to Industrial Engineer at T.I. and a career that lasted until his retirement in 1997. He spent those early years of retirement, traveling with his love, Elane. It was on one of those trips that he lost her to diabetes, after 29 years of marriage.

Ed was too much of a people person to stay alone. While attending a local high school dinner, he became reacquainted with a classmate, Eugenia Francis Davignon (Jeanie). They had so many things in common (love for travel, the arts, sailing, dancing, family, etc.), they married on February 21, 2004, on their boat, in Port Isabel, Texas.

Ed’s love for learning didn’t stop with his degree. He continued to share that love through teaching, mentoring, and giving other kids opportunities to grow. He and his daughter coached his grandkids in inline hockey, mentored kids in Rockwall, and never failed to encourage his family in lifelong learning.

Simply put, Ed LOVED people. Whether it was at church, or civic memberships, or with family, he was involved. Some of his roles at church included treasurer, choir, and avid bible study participant and teacher. He was also involved with AIIE (American Institute of Industrial Engineers), the Texas B.E.S.T. program (guiding young girls and boys in robotics), Toastmasters, and the Masonic Lodge (handing out food, worked with scholarship program, distributed toothbrushes to elementary students, etc.).

Ed didn’t hesitate to fill in his gaps of time with endless projects at his home, in Rockwall. He loved wood working, creating his fish aquarium outside, teaching himself guitar and piano, building projects on his house, and tinkering with his TR8.

He will be remembered most for his contagious smile and his endless love for riddles, jokes, and tricks! He had a life rule that he instilled in all his children and grandchildren: Be honest, be fair and never waste anything.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Elane, son Randy Wheeler , brothers Ivan Straw, Larry Wheeler, Lee Wheeler, sisters Rose Wheeler and Barbara Griffin. He is survived by his wife Jeanie, son David Wheeler, daughter Stephanie Barker (Randy), extended son and daughters Chris Golden, Vanessa Nash (Jerry), and Leslie Nychka (Rob), brothers Ernie Wheeler and Bennie Straw, sister Pat Young, grandkids Brandon Baker (Melissa), TJ Baker (Holly), Jason Evans (Rachel), Randy Wheeler (Cassie), Brandi Green(Aubrey), Michele Barker, Kyle Barker, Robert Golden (Maureen), Victoria Mynatt (Chris), Alex Golden, Ben Golden, Kendall Nash, Jordan Caskey (Austin), Morgan Nash, Eliot Nychka, Aiden Nychka, Sophie Nychka, and a forest of great-grandkids, nieces, nephews and other relatives.

A memorial service will be held (in person and online) at First United Methodist Church of Rockwall, on Saturday, February 13, 2021, at 11:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to be made, in Ed Wheeler’s honor, to the East Trinity Masonic Lodge Golf Classic, which awards scholarships to high school seniors, in Rockwall, Texas.