Donald Holmes Wheeler, Jr.

Warner, NH-Donald Holmes Wheeler, Jr., 80, of Kearsarge Mountain Road, died January 5, 2026.

He was born in Concord, NH on June 24, 1945 the son of Donald H. and Priscilla R. (Davis) Wheeler while his father was serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps in the Pacific Theater of World War II.

Don attended Warner schools and graduated from Simonds Free High School in Warner, NH in 1963 and joined the US Navy as an aviation electronics technician from 1963-1969.  After being discharged he worked for the NH DOT from 1968 to 1969 and attended Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology in Boston 1969 to 1971. He had been employed by AT&T Long Lines for 32 years as a Telecommunications Technician and lived in Wilmington, MA and moved back to Warner and worked at the Warner Transfer Station for six years.

Very active in his community, Don was a member of The United Church of Warner.  He was a member and Chaplain for the Wilkins-Cloues-Bigelow-Pearson Post #39 American Legion. Don was a 40 year member of the Masonic fraternity, a member and longtime treasurer for Harris Masonic Lodge #91, Master from 2006-2007 and was awarded the Major General John Sullivan Distinguished Service Medal.  He was also a member of Horace Chase Lodge #72 in Boscawen and the Scottish Rite.  He was Trustee of the Town Cemeteries for Warner, a past board member and recording secretary for the Warner Historical Society and Trustee and Treasurer for the Franklin Simonds Trust.  Don was a member of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) Major McKinley Camp #9 in Lebanon and Past Camp Commander and Treasurer.  He was the Dept. of NH Treasurer and a member of the Uniformed Unit of The Sons of Veterans Reserve of the SUVCW and gave living history presentations and enjoyed his annual trip to march in the Remembrance Day parade in Gettysburg, PA.

He is survived by his beloved partner, Janet L. Byers, two sons, Donald H. Wheeler III of Carlisle, MA and Scott M. Wheeler of Clayton, NC; a granddaughter, Adriana Elizabeth Tsang-Wheeler; a sister Carol (Ron) Piroso of Warner, NH; a nephew, Ronald F. Piroso, Jr.; two nieces, Suzanne E.(Scott) Piroso Mele and Deborah L. Piroso Curless and many cousins.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 11:00 A.M. at The United Church of Warner.  Burial will be in New Waterloo Cemetery in the spring.

Memorial contributions may be made to the United Church of Warner, P.O. Box 203, Warner, NH 03278 or to The Pope Memorial SPCA, 94 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH  03301.