Robert Mason Wheatley

Robert Mason (Bob) Wheatley, of Roanoke, Va., passed away on Friday, February 27, 2009. He was born on August 25, 1951, in Rockville, Md. Bob is the second child and only son of LeRoy Herbert Wheatley, of Baltimore, and Mildred Mason Wheatley, of Roanoke. Following his military service, which included serving in Ethiopia, he earned an electrical engineering degree from Johns Hopkins University and worked for many years as a private engineering consultant. Bob was married 32 years to his beloved wife, Judy Tyssowski Wheatley; and raised two children of his own, William Robert Wheatley, age 29, and Joann Marie Wheatley, age 27. In addition he raised two of his sister's children, Honey Elizabeth Wirth, age 23, and Gustav Henry ("Max") Wirth, age 19. Bob and Judy resided in Roanoke, Va., since 2006 and previously lived in Eldersburg, Md., for 20 years. He was an avid fisherman, boater and spent much time at Smith Mountain Lake, where he owned a building lot and planned to build a lakefront home. His interests also included politics, current events, and forensic TV shows. Bob is also survived by his four sisters, Mary Julian, of Chapel Hill, Ann Wamack, of Little Rock, Lois Redmond, of Mountain City, Tenn., and Susan Wheatley, of Atlanta. A celebration of Bob's life will be held at Viera's Restaurant, 2050 Moorewood Road in Hardy, Va., on Saturday, March 7, 2009, from 2 to 5 p.m. Pastor Michael DuVal will officiate. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials are made to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (www.cbf.org).