Born in Briery Branch, Rockingham County, Virginia. Youngest of five children to Jacob Romanus Wheeler and Sadie Mae (nee Howdyshell) Wheeler. Married Ellen Joyce Tumer on17 November 1950. Enlisted in US Air Force in 1951. Honorably discharged in 1955, in Reserves until 1959. Ray and Ellen moved to Maryland in late 1950s for better job. Ray started welding at Bethlehem Steel. Quit about 1 week later and was hired at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Retired as manager of Airbase Range 6at APG in 1986. Worked as part time employee at Airbase Range 6 under SURVICE Engineering. Fully retired in 1996.∼On December 09, 2011, Mr. Raymond Everett Wheeler, U.S. Air Force Veteran, passed away at home surrounded by his family. He was 84. He was born in Briery Branch on December 10, 1927 to the late Jacob Romanus and Sadie Mae Wheeler. Mr. Wheeler worked for 30 years at APG in aircraft vulnerability testing, and continued working for 10 years after retirement at APG through a service engineering company. He enjoyed many hobbies including antique cars, belonging to Antique Automobile Club, Harford Region Antique Automobile Club, and Mid Atlantic Plymouth Club, fishing, camping, Boy Scouts, traveling, reading, and gardening. Mr. Wheeler was a member of Mountain Christian Church, and Slate Ridge American Legion Post 182. Mr. Wheeler was the husband for 61 years of Ellen Joyce Wheeler (nee Tumer); devoted father of, Linda Kay and husband Michael Day, Bruce Everett Wheeler and wife Diane; loving grandfather of Kari Marie and husband Scott McCloskey, Erin Kathleen Day, Shannon Elaine Wheeler, and Brittani Kay and husband Joshua Zupancic; treasured great-grandfather, Raina Marie McCloskey, and Nevaeh Kay Zupancic. He was preceded in all 4 of his siblings, Orville T. Wheeler and wife Evelyn, Clyde W. Wheeler, Mazie A. Rusmisel, and Richard J. Wheeler, and one grand-daughter Virginia Summer Day.
Family and friends honored Raymond's life with a memorial service on January 7, 2012.