Richard "Dick" Wheelock
Richard (Dick) V. Wheelock, 77, of Kentland, IN died unexpectedly at his home on Saturday, November 7, 2020.
Dick was born October 4, 1943 at Camp Stoneman in Pittsburg, California to Willis L. Wheelock and Lucille D. (Brown) Wheelock. He was a 1961 graduate of Kentland High School and earned a B.S. in Education from St. Joseph’s College in December 1968, with a major in Physical Education and a minor in German Language.
On April 25, 1969, he married Mary Jo Humston at Sts. Peter & Paul catholic church in Goodland, IN.
Dick played football for the University of South Dakota at Vermillion in 1961. He was the starting left-fielder for the St. Joseph’s Pumas ICC co-conference champions in 1966. After graduation in December 1968, he began his teaching and coaching career at South Newton Jr./Sr. High School, coaching freshman football, junior high basketball, and junior varsity baseball. He left teaching after one year to manage Humston Chevrolet in Goodland. The dealership sold in 1974 and Dick then went to work for Conrail in Chicago for four years. In 1978, Super Crost seeds hired him as Inventory Control & Distribution Supervisor, he moved to the Customer Service Department in 1982, and he began his career in Sales Management in 1987, where he worked for the next 20 years. In 2007, he retired from the seed business. That same year, he went to work as Bailiff for the Newton County Superior Court. He worked for the Newton County Superior Court through September 2020 when he “retired”. In retirement, he worked part-time as the Bailiff for the Newton County Circuit Court.
Dick was an active IHSAA varsity official for football, softball, and basketball since 1989. During that time, he was fortunate enough to umpire two State Softball Championship games (2003 & 2008), one Indiana All-Star Softball game (2008), and was Umpire of the Year in 2012. He also officiated in the class 4A Football Championship game in Lucas Oil Stadium in 2014. Dick was an active member of the Western Indiana Officials Association and the IHSAA football officials observer group.
Dick is survived by his sons, Jeffrey (Lisa) Wheelock of Maricopa, AZ; Tony Wheelock of Lafayette, IN; Mark (Katie) Wheelock of Indianapolis, IN; two students who lived with him and Mary Jo for their final years of high school, Nancy (Zussman) Cedarquist and Randall Barten, as well as 11 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren; his brothers Tom (Janet) Wheelock and Patrick (Mary Beth) Wheelock, and sister Sally (Stan) Walkup, all of Kentland, IN.
Dick was preceded in death by his parents Willis and Lucille (Brown) Wheelock, daughter Jacqueline (Jackie) Wheelock, and Sister Grace (Wheelock) Schoonveld.
Dick had two passions he enjoyed in his life: #1 his children & grandchildren and #2 officiating high school athletics.
Friends may call from 4-7 PM (CST) Thursday, November 12, 2020 at Stitz-Clapper Funeral Home of Kentland. Funeral Mass 11 AM (CST) Friday, November 13, 2020 at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church of Goodland. Interment to follow in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Goodland.
Floral arrangements will be received at Stitz-Clapper Funeral Home, Kentland. Envelopes will also be made available at the funeral home for memorial contributions.
Share memories and condolences online at www.clapperfuneralservices.com.