William "Bill" Wheeler

Bill was born July 22, 1971 in Newfoundland, Canada, and was adopted by his loving parents John and Louise Van Der Eems Wheeler of Hawthorne, New Jersey. He became a naturalized US citizen in 1976. After a lively but unsuccessful stint at Rutgers University and Sigma Pi, Bill transferred to Daniel Webster College in New Hampshire to study aviation and graduated cum laude. Bill moved to Ohio and became an accomplished pilot who worked his way up through various aircraft to becoming captain on the world’s fastest private jet, the Citation X, and the youngest check airman at Flight Options in the Cleveland area. In 2015, he decided he preferred life at home to that in the skies and retired, vowing to always go to his kid’s baseball games and to never stay in another hotel room.

Bill was a financial genius, a meticulous planner, a political junkie, a potty mouth and a natural marksman. He loved sports and eagerly adopted the Buckeyes, Guardians and Blue Jackets as his teams, and embraced the Browns with the angry exasperation and irrational joy all Cleveland fans know. Bill was proud of his flying career, his cooking, his DIY projects and his credit score. He was generous and fair, and honest to a fault. Anyone who knew him was aware he would eagerly share his opinions, whether requested or unsolicited. Bill enjoyed sharing stories, sending funny texts and making people laugh, often at his own expense. He loved soft warm chocolate chip cookies, funny animated series and reruns of 90s TV shows, classic rock, Italian food, beer and democracy. Traffic, crowds, yardwork and willful ignorance of what’s going on in the world made him angry.

Bill is survived by his best friend and wife of 22 years, Karen Kasler Wheeler, and their son Jack; his mother Louise Wheeler; and his sister Suzie Wheeler. He also leaves behind Thor and Magnus, the cats who adored and annoyed him. Bill was preceded in death by his father John, for whom Bill’s beloved son is named.

As if to reinforce his careful planning, Bill requested in writing no service or “church stuff”. Instead, a gathering in his honor will be held in Columbus on December 17 and in New Jersey on December 26. Please reach out to the family if you’d like to stop by either of these celebrations of Bill’s life.

Bill wasn’t a flowers guy. So the family suggests donations to a local food pantry or animal shelter. And Bill would want you to vote, every time in every election. Thank you for being a friend.