Gary Franklin Wheeler, 74, of Hamlet, stepped out of this life and went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024 after a well-fought battle with gastric cancer.
Gary was born on Sept. 18, 1949, the son of the late Kenneth Leonard Wheeler Sr. and Johnnie Mae Richardson Wheeler.
Gary was the third and youngest of three sons and grew up on Freeman Mill Road in Hamlet. When he was a teenager, he met the love of his life, Sue Terry, who became his wife and life partner for 52 years. They were blessed with two children and four grandchildren who literally lit up his life. He considered his role of “Pa” to be his greatest accomplishment.
Gary loved life and was a “helper” for many. You could find him walking the elderly to their cars on Sunday at Fellowship United Methodist Church, cutting the grass of those who were ill, and brightening the world of friends and family with laughter and pranks.
After he retired as an engineer on CSX Railroad, he spent hours volunteering in the schools where Sue worked…weighing, measuring, and checking the eyes of the students. He and Sue spent the last few years “delittering” their section of Boyd Lake Road, and his smiling face with the mounds of trash piled high on his Polaris became a favorite on Facebook posts.
Gary loved the outdoors, and hunting was his passion. One of his greatest joys was to bag a trophy deer and he reveled in passing that love on to his grandson and nephew. Opening deer seasons were spent in sleepovers at Gary and Sue’s house and are among the cherished memories of many family and friends. He loved the water and fishing and was happiest on a lake or camping on a mountain stream.
Gary loved a good joke, laughter and playing a prank on a friend, but he was very serious about his faith and belief in the power of prayer. Throughout his fight with cancer, he was grateful for the prayers lifted for him by his family and friends.
Gary is survived by his wife, Patricia Sue Terry Wheeler; his daughter, Beth Wheeler Gentry (Jason) and his son, Richie Wheeler (Paula); and by his four grandchildren, Peyton Gentry, Reece Gentry, Hannah Wheeler and Grayson Wheeler. He is also survived by brothers, Lenny Wheeler (Pete) and Bobby Wheeler (Sharon); and by his brother-in-law, Charles Wheeler (Ann). Gary was loved by aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews, and several special friends.
Gary was preceded in death by his brother-in-law, Milton Terry Jr. and wife, Judy.
A celebration of Gary’s life will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 at Marks Creek Presbyterian Church beginning at 2 p.m. Visitation will precede the service from noon until 2 p.m. at the church.
Memorials can be made to Richmond County Hospice Haven’s Memorial Garden, 1119 N U.S. Hwy 1, Rockingham, NC 28379; and/or Gibson Cancer Center, 1200 Pine Run Drive, Lumberton, NC 28358.
Harrington Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the Wheeler family.
Online condolences may be made at harringtonfuneralhome.com.
