Barbara "Ruth" Wheeler

This week, Barbara Ruth Wheeler died peacefully at her home in Chandler, Oklahoma. She was 68 years old.

Barbara “Ruth” Wheeler was born November 27th, 1954, in Washington D.C to parents Clyde Arlie Wheeler, Jr. and Barbara Dodd Wheeler. She was raised with her younger sister and brother, Jane Dodd Wheeler, and Clyde Arlie Wheeler III, and would graduate from Langley High School in McLean, Virginia. Following high school, Ruth obtained her undergraduate degree at Oklahoma State University, and then later, her Master of Science in Agronomy from Purdue University. Ruth later received a Master of Education from Oklahoma City University. Throughout her entire life, education and science would be driving forces in defining who Ruth was as a person.

During her long and impressive professional career, Ruth worked as a professional staff member for Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, as the director of the Office of Handicapped Concerns for the state of Oklahoma, as a professor at Panhandle State University, and most recently, as a middle school teacher for Coyle Public Schools. Just as in her academic life, Ruth was a dedicated professional whose service made life better for anyone she met.

In her life, Ruth loved baking, traveling, cooking shows, and spending time with her family and friends.  She taught many of her nieces and nephews to drive, was an avid reader, and loved dogs, both her own and others, as much as any person could.

Barbara “Ruth” Wheeler was preceded in death by her father Clyde Arlie Wheeler, Jr., her mother Barbara Dodd Wheeler, and her fur babies Maggie and Missy. “Aunt Ruth” leaves behind five nieces and one nephew, eight grand nieces and nephews, as well as her brother Clyde Wheeler and his wife Terry Wheeler, her sister Jane Wheeler and her Husband Alex Sanchez, her dear friends Barbara, Meagan, and Scott Wintz and Remi (latest fur baby). 

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that any memorial gifts be made in the form of a donation to their local animal shelter or to the Oklahoma Humane Society (https://okhumane.org/).