John Perry "Jake" Wheeler, Jr.
April 18, 1928 - January 19, 2011
John Perry "Jake" Wheeler, Jr. passed away on January 19, 2011. Born on April 18, 1928, he was a lifelong resident of Thomasville, Georgia, except for being "out-of-town" for the period of 1946-1997. During that 51-year absence, Jake enlisted in the Army Air Corp, earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in political science from Florida State University and a Ph.D. from Syracuse University, taught at Middlebury College in Vermont, taught and served as Dean and Vice President at Hollins College now University in Virginia, authored numerous works on American constitutional law, served 27 years in the U.S. Naval Reserve rising to the rank of Captain, ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic Party nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives for Virginia's 6th District in 1962, served on the Roanoke City School Board, and hosted "Jake Wheeler's Nightline" on Blue Ridge Public Television for 13 years. Throughout this period to his passing he was married to his beloved college sweetheart Edna Gertrude Grubb "Trudy" whom, because of her never aging beauty, he often suspected married him just to change her maiden name. When recently asked the secret of a successful marriage, Jake stated, "The husband should always have the last word…provided it is 'Yes, dear.'" Together, Jake and Trudy somehow found the time to produce and raise 5 children, all of whom they took with them to live in Trinidad and Tobago, where Jake served as a Fulbright Fellow at the University of the West Indies from 1965-66, and to London, England, where he directed Hollins College's study abroad program from 1975-78 a program he founded as Dean. Upon his retirement from Hollins in 1997, he was awarded the Hollins Medal, given by the University's Board of Trustees to those individuals who embody the ideals and values of the institution. An avid traveler, Jake's most satisfying professional experiences came towards the end of his career, leading 55 trips mainly to England and Scotland, but also to Ireland, France, Spain, Central Europe, and Greece. Proclaiming Jake as their "Fearless Leader," a total of 850 old and newfound friends joined him on these learning vacations. When Jake retired from Hollins in 1997, Roanoke resident and repeat trip participant Bob Fishburn described what Jake did to make the trips so popular. "He gets up in front of the bus and says outrageous things, gives a little history and plays a little music. The major attraction is just Jake." Jake was predececeased by his father, John P. Wheeler, Sr. of Thomasville, Georgia, a printer described by his son as "the smartest man I ever knew," and his mother, Addie Rucell Phillips of Miller County, Georgia, who often threatened Jake with a switch but "never used it" and "spoiled me rotten." John and "Cell" also had two daughters: Christine Pittman, of Hickory North Carolina, who sadly passed away on January 18, 2011, and Betty Fields, currently of Hendersonville, North Carolina. Jake is survived by Trudy, his "first" wife of 61 years; daughter Mary "Cricket", a college admissions officer at Meredith College of Raleigh, North Carolina, her children Molly and Ruffin, and new husband Paul, a researcher into children's respiratory diseases; daughter Amy of Thomasville, Georgia, a volunteer at an AIDS service organization and caretaker of her parents; son Josh, a constitutional law attorney in Charlottesville, Virginia, his wife Susan, a fundraiser for public television, and their daughters Chloe and Katie; son Zach of Thomasville, Georgia, Vice President for Human Resources at Archbold Medical Center and Colonel in the US Army Reserves, his wife Stacy, a registered nurse, and their daughter Allison. Jake's eldest son, Dan, died in 1989, an early victim of the AIDS virus. Per Jake's instructions, there will be no funeral, but a memorial service will be held at Hollins University at a date to be determined. It was Jake's final wish that those who wish to send flowers please consider instead making a donation to one of the following: Hollins University, P.O. Box 9629, Roanoke, VA 24020 ph 800-Tinker1; in Roanoke, Virginia; Safe Haven an AIDS services group, P.O. Box 1533, Thomasville, GA 31799 ph 229-226-9310; The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression a First Amendment advocacy organization, 400 Worrell Dr., Charlottesville, VA 22911 ph 434-295-4784. Condolences can be sent to 122 N. Love Street, Thomasville GA 31792. Jake left the world "believing in a God of Grace, and hoping for an epitaph reading, 'he made his world a little brighter.'" Those fortunate to know this man of incredible civility, intellect, and humor, have to agree that he earn his desired epitath.
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April 18, 1928 - January 19, 2011
John Perry "Jake" Wheeler, Jr. passed away on January 19, 2011. Born on April 18, 1928, he was a lifelong resident of Thomasville, Georgia, except for being "out-of-town" for the period of 1946-1997. During that 51-year absence, Jake enlisted in the Army Air Corp, earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in political science from Florida State University and a Ph.D. from Syracuse University, taught at Middlebury College in Vermont, taught and served as Dean and Vice President at Hollins College now University in Virginia, authored numerous works on American constitutional law, served 27 years in the U.S. Naval Reserve rising to the rank of Captain, ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic Party nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives for Virginia's 6th District in 1962, served on the Roanoke City School Board, and hosted "Jake Wheeler's Nightline" on Blue Ridge Public Television for 13 years. Throughout this period to his passing he was married to his beloved college sweetheart Edna Gertrude Grubb "Trudy" whom, because of her never aging beauty, he often suspected married him just to change her maiden name. When recently asked the secret of a successful marriage, Jake stated, "The husband should always have the last word…provided it is 'Yes, dear.'" Together, Jake and Trudy somehow found the time to produce and raise 5 children, all of whom they took with them to live in Trinidad and Tobago, where Jake served as a Fulbright Fellow at the University of the West Indies from 1965-66, and to London, England, where he directed Hollins College's study abroad program from 1975-78 a program he founded as Dean. Upon his retirement from Hollins in 1997, he was awarded the Hollins Medal, given by the University's Board of Trustees to those individuals who embody the ideals and values of the institution. An avid traveler, Jake's most satisfying professional experiences came towards the end of his career, leading 55 trips mainly to England and Scotland, but also to Ireland, France, Spain, Central Europe, and Greece. Proclaiming Jake as their "Fearless Leader," a total of 850 old and newfound friends joined him on these learning vacations. When Jake retired from Hollins in 1997, Roanoke resident and repeat trip participant Bob Fishburn described what Jake did to make the trips so popular. "He gets up in front of the bus and says outrageous things, gives a little history and plays a little music. The major attraction is just Jake." Jake was predececeased by his father, John P. Wheeler, Sr. of Thomasville, Georgia, a printer described by his son as "the smartest man I ever knew," and his mother, Addie Rucell Phillips of Miller County, Georgia, who often threatened Jake with a switch but "never used it" and "spoiled me rotten." John and "Cell" also had two daughters: Christine Pittman, of Hickory North Carolina, who sadly passed away on January 18, 2011, and Betty Fields, currently of Hendersonville, North Carolina. Jake is survived by Trudy, his "first" wife of 61 years; daughter Mary "Cricket", a college admissions officer at Meredith College of Raleigh, North Carolina, her children Molly and Ruffin, and new husband Paul, a researcher into children's respiratory diseases; daughter Amy of Thomasville, Georgia, a volunteer at an AIDS service organization and caretaker of her parents; son Josh, a constitutional law attorney in Charlottesville, Virginia, his wife Susan, a fundraiser for public television, and their daughters Chloe and Katie; son Zach of Thomasville, Georgia, Vice President for Human Resources at Archbold Medical Center and Colonel in the US Army Reserves, his wife Stacy, a registered nurse, and their daughter Allison. Jake's eldest son, Dan, died in 1989, an early victim of the AIDS virus. Per Jake's instructions, there will be no funeral, but a memorial service will be held at Hollins University at a date to be determined. It was Jake's final wish that those who wish to send flowers please consider instead making a donation to one of the following: Hollins University, P.O. Box 9629, Roanoke, VA 24020 ph 800-Tinker1; in Roanoke, Virginia; Safe Haven an AIDS services group, P.O. Box 1533, Thomasville, GA 31799 ph 229-226-9310; The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression a First Amendment advocacy organization, 400 Worrell Dr., Charlottesville, VA 22911 ph 434-295-4784. Condolences can be sent to 122 N. Love Street, Thomasville GA 31792. Jake left the world "believing in a God of Grace, and hoping for an epitaph reading, 'he made his world a little brighter.'" Those fortunate to know this man of incredible civility, intellect, and humor, have to agree that he earn his desired epitath.
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