"This is a bitter adventure, if it must end so; and not a mountain of gold can amend it. Yet I’m glad I have shared in your perils – that has been more than any Baggins deserves.” -Bilbo Baggins Frank C. Wheeler, 71, of Ottawa, Kansas, passed from this mortal coil Tuesday, December 7, 2021. To some he may have been a grumpy old bear but to most he was the most lovable of grumpy old bears. He was born October 20, 1950 in Lawrence to William Clifford and Donna Rose (Collins) Wheeler. He was raised by his grandparents, C.C. and Jeanne Collins (the Old Man and the Old Lady) on a farm outside of Oskaloosa, Kansas. He graduated from Oskaloosa High School after an illustrious football career in 1969. Big Whee, as he was known, finished his education at Western Illinois University, graduating in 1984 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Sociology. On August 14, 1976, Frank was married to Vicki Carter in Wichita, Kansas. Two daughters, Hillary (Nolen) and Breanne (Sanford) were born from this union. They would later divorce. Frank would go on to marry his Yorkshire Rose, Elaine Jackson, on November 24, 2001 at the Clarice L. Osborne Memorial Chapel on the campus of Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas. With this union, two families became one, as Elaine had two daughters, Lucy (Koehn) and Alice (Burrows) from her first marriage. She survives of the home. Frank was gainfully employed as a case worker for the State of Kansas Social and Rehabilitation Services, beginning his career in Grant County, Kansas and finally finding his niche in Franklin County, where he worked until his retirement in 2015. He loved his retirement, as it gave him ample time to read, watch movies, listen to his favorite band The Beatles and spend time with his beloved grandchildren. He was a massive history buff, which was evident due to the fact he passed away on Pearl Harbor Day. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Bill. Survivors include his wife Elaine; four daughters, Hillary Nolen (Jared) of Wichita, Breanne Sanford (Charles) of Independence, Lucy Koehn (Matt) of Arkansas City and Alice Burrows (Bryce) of Shawnee; two siblings, Susan Bousquet (Ron) of Omaha, Nebraska and Bryan Wheeler (Cynthia) of Anchorage, Alaska; and seven grandchildren, Collin, Cassidy, Kieran, Lauren, Julia, Madeline and Jacob. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m Tuesday, December 14, 2021, at Dengel & Son Mortuary, Ottawa. The family suggests memorial contributions to Friends of the Ottawa Library, c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, KS 66067.
Tuesday, December 14, 2021
2:00 - 3:00 pm (Central time)
Ottawa Chapel
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