Evelyn Jeanette Wheeler was born on September 27, 1920 in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada. She passed away peacefully with family at her side on July 2, 2020 in Beaverton, Oregon, just a couple months shy of her 100th birthday.
Her parents were Marvin Oscar Eggen and Laura Sophia Soderman; her sister was Alice Marjorie Dreyer. Her parents homesteaded farm land in remote Saskatchewan, Canada, then moved to Salem, Oregon, where her father became a contractor and built houses. Her mother was a homemaker. When Evelyn was 13 the family settled permanently in Bemidji, Minnesota, where she went on to get her bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Bemidji Teachers’ College (now Bemidji State University).
Evelyn met her future husband William P. (Bill) Wheeler in 1939 at a carnival in Bemidji, Minnesota. He was from Deerwood, Minnesota. When World War II ended, Evelyn and Bill were married September 4, 1946 in Bemidji. Since Evelyn was one day younger than Bill, it became a perpetual joke between them that for one day out of the year he was the oldest and thus could "rule the roost." When Bill shared this fact with others, Evelyn would add, with a twinkle in her eye, "At least I let him think he does."
The newly married couple moved to St. Paul where Bill attended the University of Minnesota. He majored in forestry while Evelyn taught school. They lived in student housing, a small mobile home 21’ X 7’ with no running water. Bathroom and laundry facilities were located 25 feet down the sidewalk. This distance seemed very long during the cold winter months when temperatures sometimes dipped down to 30 degrees below zero. Although the conditions were a bit challenging, Evelyn, the perpetual optimist, said she loved being married and living in what she called her "doll house." Their first child, Terrence William was born during that time, and Evelyn happily quit teaching to be a full-time homemaker, into which she put her whole heart.
Upon completion of his master’s degree in forestry from the University of Minnesota, Bill was offered a teaching position in the School of Forestry at Oregon State University, so the family moved to Corvallis. During the next several years three more children were born: Margo Diane, Cynthia Ann and Richard Michael.
Evelyn and Bill were strong in their faith in Jesus Christ and trusted Him as their Savior. Family times included worship and church activities, many camping and fishing trips, plus yearly excursions back to Minnesota to visit family there. Evelyn and Bill loved to travel and visited Europe, England, Israel and Hawaii, and in later years went on annual snow bird trips to Arizona and southern California. A few of the organizations at which Evelyn volunteered were Meals on Wheels, Luis Palau Association and Pregnancy Resource Center.
Evelyn’s love and devotion toward her family were remarkable. Her genuine interest in people, her kindness and her zest for life were like a magnet, drawing others to her. She had an insatiable curiosity and never grew tired of reading and learning. She will be greatly missed not only by her family, but by many others who came to know and love her. Yet, the family expresses joy in knowing she is now with her Savior in Heaven.
Evelyn is survived by her loving family: sons Terry Wheeler and Richard Wheeler (wife Kim); daughters Margo Thelen (husband Wayne) and Cynthia Elting (husband Ralph); 12 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and extended Minnesota family.
Due to Covid restrictions, the family had a private memorial for Evelyn and she was laid to rest in Skyline Memorial Gardens in Portland, Oregon on July 11, 2020.
Donations in her name can be made to Alzheimer’s Association or Gideons.
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