Philip Powell Wheeler, family man
Philip Powell Wheeler, 93, of Millsboro, passed away Sunday, July 23, 2023, at Cadia Renaissance Rehabilitation Center in Millsboro. He was born Oct. 29, 1929, in Rowlesburg, W.Va., son of the late Charles M. Sr. and Olive (Powell) Wheeler.
Philip graduated with honors from Rowlesburg High School Class of 1947, after which he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He attended x-ray technician school at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, then was assigned to Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Aurora, Colo., until 1949. Philip enrolled in West Virginia University that year to study forestry and during summers worked as a firefighter in the San Diego area. He enrolled in the Franklin School of Arts and Sciences in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1951, graduating in 1952. Then he began work at Hahnemann University Hospital. Philip married June A. Herman in 1953, and the couple moved to Wheeling, W.Va., in 1954, at which time he began working for Ohio Valley General Hospital. He joined Alcoholics Anonymous in 1973 and served the organization for many years, helping countless others well into his retirement. Philip retired from Ohio Valley Medical Center in 1990 as director of Radiological and Physician Services, and began an ongoing annual series of winter stays in the Corpus Christi, Texas area. He relocated to southern Delaware in 2004, lived in The Peninsula neighborhood of Millsboro, and was a member of Grace United Methodist Church.
Philip was an avid outdoorsman, who relished the planning of many family camping, fishing, and other vacation trips. A talented gardener, his green thumb was evidenced by his beautifully landscaped yard and gardens. Philip had a lifelong passion for antiques, and in his retirement, also pursued birding, countless hours of family genealogy and international travel. Above all of this, he was a family man. Philip cherished time spent with those he held most dear, unwaveringly supporting his children and grandchildren in all of their athletic accomplishments. A loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend, he will be deeply missed by everyone who had the good fortune to know him.
In addition to his parents, Philip was preceded in death by his brothers, Charles Wheeler Jr. and Herbert Haynes Wheeler (Bonnie); and his sister, Nancy Wheeler. He is survived by his beloved wife, June Wheeler; his son, Stephen Wheeler; his daughter, Valerie Ellenberger (Walt); his grandchildren, Emily Ellenberger (Heath Seng), Natalie Hill (Joe), Sarah Knight, Madeline Ellenberger (Colter Krebill) and Andrew Wheeler; and his great-grandchildren, Graham Hill and Lucy Seng.
A celebration of life and private burial will be held at Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling, W.Va., at a later date.
Final care has been entrusted to Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to Warrior Community Connect, Attn. George Jarvis, treasurer, 33298 Marina Bay Circle, Millsboro, DE 19966, warriorcommunityconnect.com.
Visit Philip’s Life Memorial webpage and sign his virtual guestbook at parsellfuneralhomes.com.
