On the morning of June 22, 2016, Jack Alvin Wheeler passed away at his home in Olympia, Wash. Jack was born May 19, 1926 in Albany, Ore., to Vern and Mildred Clark. After his parents’ divorce, Jack and his mother settled in the Longview Kelso area. In 1936, Mildred married Ray Wheeler and the family moved first to Chehalis, then to Centralia, Wash.
Jack graduated from Centralia High School in 1944. On the day of his graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he served for two years, being honorably discharged in 1946. When he returned to Centralia, he attended Centralia College and then Washington State College, joining the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. While at WSC, Jack developed a lifelong and unwavering love of the Washington State Cougars. He also met the love of his life, Barbara Hedberg and the two married June 17, 1950, shortly after his graduation.
Jack and Barbara returned to Centralia where he joined his father in the family business, Lewis County Distributors. Jack was very involved in the community as a member of the Elks, the American Legion, helping start Centralia Youth Football, on the Board of Directors of Central Federal Savings and Loan and was a 13 year member of the Centralia School Board.
Jack retired in 1989 and he and Barbara spent the next 20 years doing what they loved best, cruising the San Juan Islands on their boat, “Wheelhouse.” Jack also enjoyed fishing trips to Alaska with dear friends, trips to Hawaii, Arizona and Europe. Jack was also a fixture in the lives of his children and grandchildren, attending sporting events, birthday parties, holiday gatherings, all for the simple pleasure of time spent with the family he dearly loved.
Jack is survived by his wife of 66 years, Barbara; son, Marc (Chris) and his children Nick, Kim and Jennifer; son, John and his children Lauren, Max and Molly; and daughter, Jody Miller (Mark) and their children Todd and Scott.
A service for Jack will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 9, 2016, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1209 Scheuber Rd. N, Centralia, Washington. Remembrances can be made to the Centralia Dollars for Scholars Program.
