Obituary of John C. Wheeler

John C. "Jack" Wheeler, 89, of 165 Aldren Ave., formerly 34 Chestnut St., died Thursday (May 20, 2010) in WCA Hospital. An area resident since 1961, he was born December 18, 1920 in Rochester, NY, the son of Captain J. and Tennie Coleman Wheeler. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1947 and later received his Master's Degree in Social Work from Springfield College (Center for YMCA Studies). He was a World War II Army veteran, serving from 1942 until his discharge as a sergeant in 1946, and again during the Korean War from 1951 until 1952, reaching the rank of first lieutenant. Jack served as Executive Director of the Jamestown YMCA from 1961 until his retirement in 1986. In 2007, he was the recipient of the YMCA Lifetime Service Award. A member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, he also served on the Board of Directors of the Chautauqua Adult Day Care Center and the Jamestown Housing Authority. In addition to his wife, the former Catherine Bidelspacher whom he married January 20, 1951, Jack is survived by a daughter, Nancy Wheeler of San Jose, CA. He was preceded in death by a son, Stephen J. Wheeler who died June 4, 2009. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Thursday at St. Luke's Episcopal Church. The Rev. Eric M. Williams will officiate. Friends will be received in the church undercroft following the service. Burial will be in Montoursville, PA. Memorials may be made to the YMCA's Camp Onyahsa, 101 E. Fourth St., Jamestown, NY 14701.