Reverend Daniel G. Wheeler

WHEELER, The Reverend Daniel G., 89, died Friday, October 3, 2008, at home after a brief illness. Born June 17, 1919, he was the son of the late Lily Payne and S. Stuart Wheeler. He was preceded in death by his eldest son, Daniel G. Wheeler Jr.; and ten brothers and sisters. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Marion Booth Wheeler; and three children, David Wayne and Timothy Gilbert of Charlottesville and Rosemary Elaine of Mechanicsville. An alumnus of Charlottesville Elementary Schools and Lane High School, he held B.A. and M.Ed. degrees from the University of Virginia and the M.Div. degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Dan was a charter member of the University Baptist Church. On May 27, 1948, he was ordained as a Baptist minister at UBC. Dan was Pastor of Middleburg Baptist Church and Long Branch Baptist Church from 1946 to 1953 and spent the next year as the Chaplin and member of the faculty at Hargrave Military Academy. From 1954 to 1956, he was Pastor of Rivermont Baptist Church, Danville, Virginia. In 1956, he and his family returned to Charlottesville, where he was a member of the faculty of Lane High School and Charlottesville High School until his retirement in 1983. Concurrently, he continued his ministry as an interim Pastor for many churches in the central Virginia area until 1998. Dan was the videographer for the Lane High School football team and each week, coaches and players eagerly anticipated his random inclusion, in the game film, of pictures of the moon. Dan was a former President of the UVA Glee Club and Kappa Delta Pi. He was an active member of Phi Delta Kappa and the Virginia Education Association. He served as Vice President (1963 to 1964) and President (1964-1965) of the Charlottesville Education Association. He was a life member of the UVA Alumni Association and the Thomas Jefferson Society of Alumni. He was an avid outdoorsmen, enjoying hunting, fishing, and golf. He was a dedicated gardener and reveled in sharing the fruits of his labor with friends and family. He will be remembered fondly for his quick wit and sense of humor. The family wishes to thank the many health care professionals who cared for Dan during his illness, especially his primary care physician, Dr. Richard Brantley. A graveside service conducted by Dr. Tom Leland will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, October 8, 2008 at Monticello Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends Tuesday evening, October 7, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Hill and Wood Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the University Baptist Church, 1223 W. Main Street, Charlottesville, Va. 22903 or Hospice of the Piedmont, 2200 Old Ivy Rd., Suite 2, Charlottesville, Va. 22903.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.