Thomas D.

Thomas E. Wheeler, Commander, US Navy (Retired), was born January 15, 1926 in Augusta, GA. and died peacefully in Pensacola, FL, at the Haven of Our Lady of Peace on September 22, 2014. Dr. Wheeler graduated from Mount Saint Mary's College in Emmitsburg, MD. He received a Master of Science degree in Analytical Chemistry from George Washington University in Washington, DC. Dr. Wheeler received his Ph.D Degree in Biochemistry from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. He was inducted into The Society of the Sigma Xi-Devoted to the Promotion of Research in Science. Dr. Wheeler was also a member of The New York Academy of Science. He was a veteran of WWII and served during the Korean and Viet Nam conflicts. As a teenager he served in the US Navy Submarine Service aboard the USS Chubb in the Pacific theater, operating out of Perth, Australia and later in the Philippine Islands. After the war and college, he was commissioned in the U.S.N. Medical Service Corp as a chemist in the Allied Science section. He spent the majority of his Naval career as a Laboratory Officer with the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD. He served as the Director of Tissue Chemistry with the Navy Tissue Bank. He was Director of Chemistry and Toxicology, Naval Hospital, Bethesda, MD and was Laboratory Liaison to the White House and Staff during the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations. He also served at the Naval Hospital Philadelphia and a final tour of duty at N.A.S. Pensacola at the National Aerospace Medical Institute (NAMI), where he conducted research with Allied and German scientists under the command of Captain Ashton Graybill, U.S.N. Dr. Wheeler retired from the U.S. Navy in the Pensacola area where he founded the first Medical Reference Laboratory on the Gulf Coast, serving four states (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.) Dr. Wheeler directed these laboratories (Pen Bay and later Regional Medical Laboratories) for 18 years until his retirement. His laboratory on North Palafox Street is now owned and operated by Lab Corp. He also served as consultant to Bio-Con Media, Inc. He was preceded in death by his son, William B. Wheeler, II. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Mary, his children, Thomas E. Wheeler, Jr. and wife, Patti; daughter Molly Oliver and husband, Dr. Whit Oliver; daughter, Talulah Taylor and husband, Scott; and Dr. John Wheeler, Ed.D; eleven grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Tom Wheeler loved music and poetry. He often broke into song or verse to the delight of his family and his caretakers. Visitation will be at St. Ann Catholic Church, Gulf Breeze, FL from 5pm-7pm, Thursday, September 25, 2014 and Funeral Mass will be Friday, September 26, 2014, 2:00pm, also at St. Ann Catholic Church. Father James Grebe is officiating. The family would like to thank the staff and volunteers at Haven of Our Lady of Peace for the excellent care and compassion provided to Dr. Wheeler. In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make a donation to the Haven or St. Vincent DePaul Ministries, in his memory.

Visitation

Rosary

St. Ann Catholic Church - Gulf Breeze
100 Daniel Drive
Gulf Breeze, FL  32561
Thursday, September 25, 2014
6:30 PM

Visitation

St. Ann Catholic Church
100 Daniel Drive
Gulf Breeze, FL  32561
Thursday, September 25, 2014
5:00 PM

Service

Funeral Mass

St. Ann Catholic Church
100 Daniel Drive
Gulf Breeze, FL  32561
Friday, September 26, 2014
2:00 PM

Cemetery

Burial

Rose Lawn Cemetery
2942 Gulf Breeze Parkway
Gulf Breeze, FL  32563