John Rodgers Wheaton

1938 - 2022

John Rodgers Wheaton
March 12, 1938 - August 12, 2022
Sacramento, California - John Rodgers Wheaton, 84, died peacefully August 12, 2022, at his home in Sacramento. John was born in San Francisco, and as a child moved to Pasadena. John's high school years at The Thacher School in Ojai, CA were formative. The school's emphasis on horseback riding fit John perfectly. His horse, Doc, was a longtime companion, the two competing in gymkhanas and taking pack trips in the Sierra Nevada.
At Dartmouth College, John earned his BA and MS in Mechanical Engineering. He rowed on the crew team, and was a member of the Dartmouth Ski Patrol, prompting a life-long passion for skiing. Only months before his passing, he took a weeklong ski trip with his daughter and the Kandahar Ski Club.
John served as 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, and later in Alaska. After his service, he moved to Honolulu, where he helped develop an early, deep-sea submersible at the Oceanic Institute, affiliated with Sea Life Park. It was in Honolulu where John met his future wife, Jane. Married in 1967, they moved back to California where John earned his MBA at Stanford and Jane her teaching credential.
Upon returning to Honolulu, John held several corporate positions at Dillingham Corp. When Dillingham purchased CalGas, John and Jane moved to Sacramento where John integrated CalGas and its subsidiaries into Dillingham. Later he became VP and CEO of equipment leasing and real estate financing at the Dowdell Corp. John created and was President of Mariposa Petroleum, a natural gas investment company. John served as Assistant Director of Ticketing for the 1984 Olympic Games Organizing Committee.
Curious about other lands and other peoples, John and Jane traveled to many diverse places around the world. In Antarctica, John was one of the few who dared to plunge into the warm waters of an up-welling hot spot in an Antarctic inland sea.
John was a member of Rotary, where he and Jane hosted numerous foreign exchange students. He was a member of the Bohemian Club, Grandfather's Club, the Society of California Pioneers, the Sacramento Historical Society, and the Kandahar Ski Club. He also served as Board of Trustees Chair of Sacramento Country Day School.
If there was a heaven on earth for John, it was the family cabin in the Sierra Nevada. Built by his parents the year of his birth, the rustic summer cabin was a favorite summer destination for flyfishing, hiking in Desolation Wilderness, and sipping cocktails on the front porch overlooking the American River. John was passionate about flyfishing, a zeal he shared with his son on fishing trips to Idaho, British Columbia and Michigan. John loved swimming and scuba diving in the Hawaiian Islands.
John was known for his humor and his desire to assist others. When he met people, he liked to ask about their life stories. When hiking or traveling, he always wanted to see over the next ridge or around the next corner, and often took off to explore. He will be remembered for his curiosity, determination and open-mindedness.
Survivors include his wife, Jane, brother George (Sarah), son Cal (Aimee), daughter Mele (Ryan Goebel), granddaughters Serena, Isabel, Denison and Cora, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.
John's ashes were buried September 17th at Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, CA, after a family ceremony. A white orchid and maile leaf lei adorned the urn. His family suggests that any memorials in John's name be made to a school of the donor's choice, Trout or Ducks Unlimited, American River Parkway Foundation, or The Smartest Forest Fund, a part of the Tahoe Fund.