CLEVELAND, October 18 — Brian D. Wheeler, President of BLET Division 42 (St. Louis, Mo.), passed away following complications from a rare blood disorder known as myelodysplastic syndrome on Tuesday, October 16.
Brother Wheeler, 61, was born on September 27, 1951 and was a Union Pacific locomotive engineer. He first joined the Brotherhood on October 1, 1976.
Services will be handled by the Cotrell Funeral Chapel (701 Vine Street, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901, phone (573) 785-8484). A visitation will be held Saturday, October 20, at 9:30 a.m., with the funeral to follow at 11:30 a.m.
Under Wheeler’s leadership, Division 42 became much more active in the St. Louis community. Brother Wheeler spearheaded numerous food drives to help the poor around the holidays.
“Brian Wheeler was a dedicated and hard working union Brother,” BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce said. “He was one of a kind and will be sorely missed. On behalf of the National Division, I extend my deepest sympathies to Brother Wheeler’s friends and family members and to our railroad family in Division 42.”
Brother Wheeler is survived by his wife, Marsha, two children, Aaron Wheeler and Amber Richardson, and one grandson, Sawyer Richardson.
The family has requested that memorials in memory of Brian D. Wheeler may be sent to the “SWCM Scholarship Fund” at the following address:
Norman Baker
SWCM Treasurer
6009 Woodview North
Sherwood, AR 72120-4129