Virginia Stewart Wheeler

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SUNNYSIDE-Virginia Wheeler, age 67, passed away at home on Feb. 27, 2010. Virginia was born Sept. 3, 1942, in San Antonio, Texas, to Roger Weldon and Helen Waymire Stewart. She was the older of two children.
Virginia lived her early years in Texas and California. She moved to Marietta, Ga. at age 10, where she graduated from Sprayberry High School in 1960. She graduated from Georgia Baptist Hospital School of Nursing in 1963, and became a registered nurse. She began her 48-year nursing career in Marietta where she worked at Kennestone Hospital for a number of years.
She met her future husband Frank in a doctor’s office, and they married on Aug. 29, 1964. Their two children were born in Marietta. The Wheeler family moved to Carrollton, Ga. in 1975. In Carrollton, Virginia was employed by Tanner Medical Center. She returned to school and earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from Georgia Southwestern College in Americus, Ga., in 1986. Becoming aware of the emerging role of the nurse practitioner, Virginia returned to school once again. She was awarded a fellowship by Georgia State University in Atlanta. She received the Master of Science Degree from Georgia State in 1988. This degree enabled her to pass the exams to become a Family Nurse Practitioner. She then worked in a family practice and in an internal medicine practice before moving to East Carbon in 1992. She was Medical Director at Carbon Medical Clinic for 18 years. In this position she has medically served the people of East Carbon, Sunnyside, and many other surrounding communities.
Virginia was an active member of the Carbon/Emery Church of Christ where she served in many ways. She loved the Church and always gave herself fully to it.
One of the great loves of her life was the medical mission trips that she made. She made numerous trips to El Salvador and Honduras, including a month-long trip immediately after Hurricane Mitch devastated Honduras in 1998. Also, she made trips to Indonesia after the tsunami devastated that region, and to Kenya. Two of her unfilled dreams were to go to India and back to Africa. She needed a little more time. She would have been happy to “retire” in Central America and serve the people there as long as possible. She will be remembered for her service to others.
Virginia is survived by Frank, her husband of 45 years, son James, wife Terri, and their children Sydney and James Thomas and daughter Jana and husband Scott Leslie all of Brentwood, Tenn. Also, she is survived by her brother Lloyd Stewart and wife Amy of Shingle Springs, Calif.
There will be a gathering with the family on Friday, March 12, 2010 from 6-8 p.m. and a memorial service on Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 11 a.m. The family will be present one hour before the memorial service to greet friends. Both the visitation and the memorial service will be held at the Carbon/Emery Church of Christ, between Price and Wellington. Another memorial service will be held in Fountain Run, Ky. on Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 11 a.m. The family will be there to greet friends and relatives one hour before the memorial service.
Virginia’s body will be cremated. Part of her ashes will be buried at the Fountain Run Cemetery, and part of her ashes will remain in the West. In lieu of flowers, you may make a contribution to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation, 500 Huntsman Way, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108-1235. Please indicate that your contribution is in memory of Virginia Wheeler.
Fausett Mortuary will be in charge of the arrangements in Utah, and Hughes Funeral Chapel in Fountain Run, will be in charge of the arrangements in Kentucky.