Edward Thomas Wheeler

1/25/1947 - 3/25/2023

Waterford - Edward Thomas Wheeler, 76, of Waterford, died peacefully Saturday, March 25, 2023, at The Connecticut Hospice in Branford, of cancer.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Sheila; his daughter Rachel of Richmond, Va.; his sister Barbara and her husband Patrick O'Conner of Staten Island, N.Y.; his brother Carey Wheeler of Fairfax, Va.; and his sister's and brother's respective families.

Edward was born Jan. 25, 1947, on Staten Island, N.Y., to the late Joseph and Edna (Sawyer) Wheeler. He attended Xavier High School in New York City and felt a certain camaraderie with others who likewise spent their adolescence making the eventful daily commute by ferry and subway from Staten Island to the City and back again all in the name of education (e.g., a 2020 New Yorker article by Colin Jost about his experiences travelling to and from Staten Island to attend Regis High School tickled him). Following high school, Edward spent two years as a novice at the Jesuit Seminary in St. Andrew on Hudson, and then received a Bachelor of Arts in English, summa cum laude, in cursu honorum, from Fordham University followed by an M. Litt. in English Language and Literature from Oxford University. While at Oxford, he by chance met his bride-to-be, Sheila Woodcock, who, along with other female friends, reluctantly agreed to attend a dance ineptly organized by Edward and his collegemates. Sheila modestly claims Edward introduced himself to her and asked her to dance because he was tall, and she was the tallest girl at the party, but clearly there was more to it, as just three weeks later, at the end of winter break and following Edward's trip to New York to see his family, Edward took the train to Sheila's home in Wakefield and met her parents, and the couple married in 1970.

In 1973, Edward became a teacher of English first at the Downe House School and then at Saint Bartholomew School both in Newbury, Berkshire, UK, and in 1975, Edward and Sheila's daughter, Rachel, was born. Although Edward had adopted the mannerisms and accent of an Englishman (his daughter later fondly called him the "fake Englishman" or "Madonna"), he, as an American teacher of English literature, struggled to find a consistent teaching position, and in 1977, he, Sheila, and a hesitant Rachel, who did not want to go to "Tinet-ti-tut," moved to Waterford. At that time, Edward began teaching English at The Williams School, a job he retained until 2009, where Sheila joined him in 1978 as a teacher of French.

During his years at Williams, Edward taught hundreds of students, served as a mentor to younger faculty members and developed lifelong friendships. Although he commanded respect in the classroom, he was funny, prone to quoting Wordsworth and singing Bob Dylan tunes spontaneously, and patient with students. He was heavily involved in school activities, including acting and singing in plays and assemblies. He also helped found the exchange program between Williams and The Royal Athenaeum in Deist, Belgium, which ran for 13 years and resulted in lasting friendships between faculty and students alike of each school. Throughout his time at Williams, he never ceased to pursue his passion for literature, including participating in numerous NEH Institutes on beloved writers like Geoffrey Chaucer and William Blake, and researching the works of David Jones, the Anglo-Welsh poet.

Following his retirement from Williams, and after a five-month hospital stay in Baltimore, Edward found a new and fulfilling avocation in volunteering at Radgowski Prison in Montville, teaching seminars for GED students and a life skills course and leading a book discussion group, as well as participating in prison ministry. He was awed by many of the prisoners' life experiences and their commitment to learning and changing in the face of tremendous obstacles.

Edward was an enthusiastic gardener, proud of his prolific vegetable plot, and a voracious reader, as is evident from the hundreds of books in his house. He possessed a great sense of humor, patience and a keen desire both to teach and learn from others, which made Edward a remarkable teacher, mentor and friend and also a devoted husband and father. He is and will continue to be sorely missed.

Cremation was private, but a celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Donations may be made in his name to The Connecticut Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford, CT 06405, or the Haitian Health Foundation, 97 Sherman Street, Norwich, CT 06360.

His family would like to express our gratitude for the wonderful care that Edward received in the last three weeks of his life from the medical professionals at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London, and The Smilow Cancer Hospital in New Haven, and from the devoted, compassionate staff and volunteers at The Connecticut Hospice, and to thank all of the visitors whom Edward received there.