Richard E. Wheeler

Portland- Richard Ernest Wheeler, 94, passed away on January 8, 2022. The son of Philip and Josie (Werner) Wheeler he was born in Portland on March 26, 1927. After graduation from Falmouth High School, he served his country in the United States Army in Occupied Germany. After he was discharged he attended and graduated from the University of Maine at Orono.

He was employed by the State Highway Commission (later the Department of Transportation) as a construction inspector and managed numerous major highway projects. Upon retirement from the State he worked for the City of South Portland Engineering Department; Allied Engineering of Gorham; H & R Block, and Shaw’s Supermarket.

Since 1958, he was a member of the Barbershop Harmony Society (formerly the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America) and sang tenor in numerous local barbershop quartets for forty years. His chief musical interest was in the opera field, and he had a large collection of opera music.

He was a member of the Maine Association of Retirees, the Falmouth Congregational Church, and the Metropolitan Opera Guild.

He was predeceased by his first wife, the former Marjorie Cleaves, of Falmouth; a half-brother Philip Wheeler Jr, his daughter in law, Kathleen (Kay) Wheeler, and a granddaughter in law, Traci Casparius.

He is survived by his second wife, Ellen B. Keast of South Portland, two daughters, Linda Roberts of Windham, and Barbara and her husband Henry (Joe) Casparius of Virginia, his son Donald Wheeler of Windham, his sister Phyllis, and her husband Richard Plummer of California, a step-son Mark Keast, and his wife Nancy of Portland, a step-daughter, Heather Keast of South Portland, eleven grandchildren, fourteen great grandchildren, and four great great grandchildren.

Family and friends are invited to attend a reception with visiting hours on Friday, January 14, 2022 from 11 AM – 1 PM at Lindquist Funeral Home, 1 Mayberry Lane, Yarmouth. A funeral service will begin at 1:00 PM at the funeral home. Interment will take place in the spring at Pinegrove Cemetery in Falmouth.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Richard’s memory, to the American Cancer Society, 1 Bowdoin Mill Island #300, Topsham, ME 04086.