Eugene Wheeler

MAJ. EUGENE CHARLES WHEELER

Summerfield, Fla. – Eugene Wheeler, 86, died on Sept. 5, 2025, after breaking a hip following several years of declining health.

After retiring from the private sector in 2000 and from the U.S. Army before that, he returned to the land of his youth, the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, for a dozen years before finally settling in Summerfield, Florida.

Gene was born on Aug. 8, 1939, to Clayton and Ida (Lang) Wheeler of Lyndonville, the youngest of their seven children. The Wheelers owned a small dairy farm at the north end of town, and Gene soon joined his brothers doing chores in the barn.

But farming did not engage his enthusiasm. He preferred making make-believe telephones from two tin cans strung tautly together – the first inkling of an interest that eventually developed into his career in communications technology.

He attended graded school in Lyndon Center and graduated from Lyndon Institute in 1957. His military life began at Norwich University, from which he graduated in 1961.

He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps for 20 years, including two tours of duty in the Vietnam War. He was also attached to NATO and based in Oslo, Norway, for several years.

After he retired from active duty in the Army, he continued working in communications technology for AT&T, Bell Communications Research, and Telcordia Technologies.

One of his great pleasures during retirement was riding his motorcycle. For several years in Vermont he rode almost every day with his biking buddies when the weather was good, enjoying Vermont’s voluptuous landscape. But when he moved to Florida, he lost interest in what he described as short sprints between stop lights.

Gene is survived by his brother Douglas and his sister-in-law Rose, formerly of Lyndonville and now of Florida. Doug, the eldest, is now the only survivor among the seven Wheeler children. Gene is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his sister, Norma Colburn; and his brothers Philip, Clifford, Durward and Stanley Wheeler.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, September 17, at 1 p.m. at the Guibord-Pearsons Funeral Home in Lyndonville. Burial with military honors will follow at the East Burke Cemetery. There will be no visiting hours.

For those who would like remember Gene with a memorial donation, his preference was for SAD-SAC Charitable Foundation, The Caledonian-Record, Federal St., St. Johnsbury, VT 05819; or to the Disabled American Veterans, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301.

Memories and condolences may be shared with family at CaledoniaLifeServices.com.