My Father In Law, Kenneth R. Wheeler, Sr.

Monday evening, we lost a great Warrior of the Faith, and the Patriarch of our family.

Ken Wheeler Sr moved on to enjoy the fruits of his labors, and his reward for 87 years of faithful service to The I AM.

As my family puts it when one of our loved ones leaves us,
"They crossed over The River to the other side."
This is an allusion to Stonewall Jackson's last words,
"Let us cross over the river and sit under the tree on the other side."

I first met Ken just before Phyllis and I were engaged.
Her big end of college dinner and graduation celebration was at the Kapok Tree Inn, a beautiful garden complex in Miami.

She sprung the fact on me at the last minute that "Oh, my parents, and my sister and her family will also be there. Is that O.K.?"
Uh, yes, I guess so. was my muttered, terrified response.

The only man I have known with as deep a voice as Ken was my own father.
He took great delight in intimidating his future Son's In Law.
All three of us have similar stories.
I was seated next to Irma all throughout dinner, with Dad Wheeler sitting across from us.
Giving me the once, twice thrice over all througout the meal.

But my most vivid memory of our first meeting was the delight on his face as he took his two young grand daughters, at the time his only grandkids by the hand for a walk in the gardens afterwards.
Both Heather and Kimbie were adorable in their little party dresses and "Pippi Longstocking" pig tails.

I knew then he wasn't so forbidding!

The next time we met was in August at their homestead in Bartow.
We were engaged by then, and as my sister put it "attached at the hip"
While attempting to eat breakfast one morning without letting go of Phyllis hand,
without a word or a sidewise glance he reached over and steadied my toast for me so that I could butter it.

That's the first time that I saw that wicked gleam in his eye illustrating his Scot sense of humor.
There are many more stories that I will attempt to put in a letter for all of you.

Most of all, he loved his God, and he adored his family.
As my boss put it this morning,
"It's always family first with me, A.J. God Bless your father in law"

He was privileged to bounce most of his great grandchildren on his knees.

And we were privileged to know him.

A life well lived Ken, we will see you again.



A brief log of the pictures;

Ken, Irma Eloise and Elaine, circa mid 1940's





Dad as he looked when we first met, summer of 1981.

Dad and his love, Irene at Jessica's wedding last summer.
Dad, looking dapper in his red suspenders and red bow tie.
The man knew how to dress!

Various pictures from the wedding with Ken and some of his children and grandchildren.