Edwin Farwell Wheeler

Our beloved father, papa, and mentor, Ed Wheeler, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 30, 2026, surrounded by his loved ones. We are deeply blessed to have shared 94 years with “Big Wheel”. In his final days, Ed spoke beautifully of his gratitude, sharing how incredibly proud he was of his life, his family and his devoted caretaker/partners. Ed is now resting with the Lord, reunited with his wife, Ginny; his stepsisters, Janet, Phyl, and Harriett; and his parents, Rachel and Frank. He is survived by his two children, Wendy and Eddie (Julie), and 3 grandchildren, Rachel, Trey, and Aidan.

Born in Natick, MA, Ed always loved returning to Cape Cod for clam bakes with his family and lifelong friends. A graduate of Bourne High School he began a lifetime of public service working at the local fire station, police department, and serving as a forest ranger - all while completing two years of college at University of Maine. Ed then answered the call to serve his country, joining the US Air Force during the Korean War as part of Flight Squadron 54F. He played drums and piano in the USAF band and continued to share his natural musical ability over the years.

Following his honorable discharge, Ed took to the skie commercially, joining Capital Airlines as pilot and embarking on a career that would extend well past the standard retirement age. He later flew for United Airlines, relocating to Miami, FL. It was in the skies that he met his beautiful wife, Carolyn "Ginny" Hodges, a flight attendant. They married in 1966, welcoming their family starting in 1969, and Ginny proudly joined him on his final United flight to mark the beginning of his retirement.

Driven by a passion for sport fishing, Ed lovingly restored a family boat and established the "Quetzal" charter boat business, which he successfully operated for decades. His commitment to service and community never wavered; he served the Miami area as a reserve police officer and helicopter pilot. Ed was also an active member of the Fraternal Order of Police, Shriners Children, and various civic organizations. One of his favorite memories was pulling over a helicopter in Miami for unauthorized travel, only to discover it was actor Don Johnson scouting for Miami Vice. In 1977, Ed moved his family to Pompano Beach, FL and relocated the Quetzal charter boat to Hillsboro Inlet Marina, where he spent countless happy years fishing the local and Bahamian waters with his fellow captains and crew. He was immensely proud to mentor his son Eddie, and grandson Trey, as they became successful sport fishing captains themselves.

Ed was an amazing caregiver to Ginny following her stroke and mental decline, which inspired his generous donations to Alzheimer associations. As a widower, he continued to stay busy and enjoy the companionship of friends and his devoted partners and caregivers, Betty, and most recently, Ingrid. Ed always had dogs in his life, including his loyal white lab, Bogart, who was with him until the very end.

Ed was known as a generous, humble and kind family man, and all who knew him will miss him dearly. He enjoyed a vibrant life full of hobbies, including sports fishing, traveling, watching Westerns, cooking, and documenting our family genealogy back to 1800's in England. He also loved connecting on the Ham, fishing radio channels (listening in on police scanners too). ‘Big Wheel’ always enjoyed sharing a Dewar's with friends at the dock, Elks Lodge, American Legion and 100 Club. As he beautifully comforted his family at the end, "It was a great life".