Thomas William Wheeler

Thomas William Wheeler, Sr. age 84, died on August 27, 2008 in Cleveland, Tennessee. Born on December 17, 1923 in Sylacauga, Alabama, Tom was the son of Ruby Riley Wheeler and Thomas William Wheeler. When Tom was only 4 years old, his father passed away. His mother later married Milton S. Hurston, and it was Mr. Hurston who became the person known as "Daddy" to Tom. Tom grew up in the town of Sylacauga, surrounded by family and friends. He was a busy and inquisitive fellow, who loved roller-skating, playing ball and music. He worked for the local electric utilities while he was in high school and it was as he did work that he decided on a career in electrical engineering. Tom enrolled at Auburn University in 1941. In 1942, he enlisted in the Army and spent the next 31/2 years serving his country in the Radio Signal Corp. He served in the Pacific theatre and took part in the invasion of Okinawa. In January of 1946 Tom returned to the United Sates. As a favor to a friend, he agreed to go on a blind date with Margery Maddox, and that decision, as he often said, was the best decision he ever made. After a brief courtship he and Margery were married, and they spent the next sixty-two years side by side. Tom graduated from Auburn in 1948 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. While at Auburn, Tom joined the Auburn Plainsman dance band, and earned extra money to support his wife and son by playing for dances on the weekends. Tom was selected to join Eta Kappa Nu and Tau Beta Pi honorary fraternities. He was a registered professional engineer. Tom?s professional career in the Public Utility industry began in 1948 in Ft. Payne, Alabama. In 1952 he moved to Boaz, Alabama where he served as Manager of the Marshall-Dekalb Electric Cooperative until his retirement in 1988. Always civic-minded, Tom served his community in a variety of leadership roles, including as a member of the Boaz City Council, president of the Civitan Club, president of the Chamber of Commerce, founder and President of the Boaz United Way, Boaz School trustee, member and chairman of the Marshall County Economic Development Board, member and chairman of Snead State Community College Advisory Board from 1967 until 1999, member and president of the Boaz Country Club, and member and secretary of the Marshall County Health Care Authority from 1986 until 1999. Tom was a past Chairman, Marshall District, of the Boy Scouts of Alabama and a past member of the Chocolocco Council Executive Board. He was also a recipient of the Silver Beaver Award. As a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church, Tom served on the Official Board, and also as a Lay Leader, Sunday School teacher, and choir member. Later, as a member of the First Baptist Church, he served as a Deacon and as a choir member. Professionally, Tom was a past member of the TVPPA Board of Directors, President of the TVPPA 1966-1967, and again 1982-1983. He was also a member of the Alabama Rural Electric Association Board of Directors, a member and past chairman of the North Alabama Power Distributor?s Association, and a recipient of the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association?s Distinguished Service Award in 1980. After living in Boaz, Alabama for 50 years, in 2000 Tom and his wife moved to Cleveland, Tennessee. Here Tom was a member of the Cleveland Music Club, The Cleveland Community Ban, the Civitan Club, and Broad Street United Methodist Church. He also played in a big Band at the American Legion in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The greatest joy in Tom?s life was always his family, including his wife, Marge, his son Tom Wheeler, Jr. and his wife Linda, his daughter Beth Wheeler Langstaff, and her husband, Witt, and his grandchildren Witt and Emily Langstaff, who affectionately called him Poppop. His 50?s Tom discovered the joy of running, and he became an accomplished runner. He competed in many races over the next 20 years, often winning in his age group. Tom was a lover of newspapers, word puzzles and Sudoku, and anything sweet to eat. Despite his age, he was proficient on the computer and loved surfing the net. He was a collector of gadgets, he loved anything with a battery or a plug; he was a man whose inquisitive mind never lost the desire to learn new things. He continued to read, to study, to learn new skills until the end of his life. Tom is survived by his wife, Margery Maddox Wheeler, his son, Thomas William Wheeler, Jr. and his wife Linda Grace Wheeler, his daughter Beth Wheeler Langstaff, and her husband Witt Irion Langstaff, Jr., his grandson Witt Irion Langstaff, III, his granddaughter Emily Ann Langstaff, his brother Milton Stratford Hurston, Jr. and his wife Evelyn Pickett Hurston, his sister Nancy Hurston Cooper and her husband Tommy Cooper, brothers-in-law Charles Maddox and Walter Maddox. Sisters-in-law Betty Maddox Nichols, Sara and Raymond Shaw, Judy and Bill Goff, Jane and Charles Harris, Carol Perry, and Bobbie Faye Maddox, a host of nieces and nephews, and countless dear friends. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, his brother Joe Hurston, his sister Martha Hurston and his sister Betty Wheeler Bland. Services will be conducted at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, August 31, 2008 at the Broad Street United Methodist Church with Reverend Debbie Stokes and Reverend Reed Shelton officiating. A private interment will be held at a later date. His family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday, August 30, 2008 at Broad Street United Methodist Church and also from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sunday, August 31, 2008 at the church prior to the service. Memorials may be made to the Broad Street United Methodist Church Music Fund, 155 Central Avenue, Cleveland, Tennessee 37311. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Wheeler family guestbook at www.ralphbuckner.com. Ralph Buckner Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.