David Henry Wheat

1947 - 2021

David "Dave" Henry Wheat, beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away Saturday, January 23, 2021, following a brief illness.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Cheryl H. Wheat; two sons, David Andrew (Melanie) and Alexander Paul (Jodi); five grandchildren, Logan, Brittany, Natalie, Xander and Liam; and his sisters, Barbara Yost (Charles) and Margaret Hutchison. He is also survived by his brothers-in-law, Charles Hillbery (Kathleen) and David Hillbery (Gloria); and many loved nieces and nephews.

Dave was born July 16, 1947, in Wheeling, W.Va., to World War II veteran Henry Wagner Wheat and Margaret Hare Wheat. He graduated from McGuffey High School and it was there that he met his future wife, Cheryl Hillbery. After graduating high school, Dave enlisted in the Navy as an Airframe and Power Plant Specialist. He was a Vietnam veteran and a member of the West Alexander Legion Post 0656. In 1968, he married Cheryl and they settled in Oak Harbor, W.Va. After leaving the Navy in 1972, he enrolled and graduated from the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics in Pittsburgh. Dave spent the next 40-plus years working as a Chief of Maintenance within the corporate aviation community and was considered one of the premier subject matter experts in his field. While his career took him far from his hometown, it was always in his heart and he and his family would return there whenever they could.

Dave enjoyed spending time with his family more than anything else. He was the Assistant Scout Master for Troop 876, in Midlothian, Va., where his sons were boy scouts. He continued to volunteer even after his sons became Eagle Scouts. He was inducted into the Order of the Arrow and received his Wood badge. His many hobbies included golf, photography, woodworking, gardening and spending time at his hunting cabin with family and friends. Later in life, he was an active member of the Midlothian 211 Masonic Lodge. Dave lived a life that most of us can only dream of. He saw the world, led his family through many adventures and realized his dreams. He was a kind, funny and deeply compassionate man that believed in hard work and always doing the right thing. He was greatly respected and admired by colleagues and acquaintances and loved by his friends and family. His passing leaves a void in our hearts and he will be missed dearly, but having known Dave enriched all of our lives beyond measure.

Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Wounded Warrior Project, woundedwarriorproject.org and or Shriners Hospitals for Children, www.shrinershospitals forchildren.org/shc.