Thomas L. Wheeler, III

“I see so many ways we could improve the efficiency in this hospital,” Tom Wheeler’s deep voice boomed from his hospital bed. “I’m an efficiency expert,” he told the nurse. At 91, he was still trying to fix things, even though three weeks later, on Veterans Day, November 11, 2023, he’d breathe his last.

His failing kidneys were about the only thing he couldn’t fix. Famous for spending hours in his workshop tinkering, Tom could fix anything, and he loved doing it. He refinished furniture and restored old cars, including a 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk and a 1914 Studebaker touring car, which was on display for a time in the Forney Museum of Transportation in Denver. His craftsmanship reflected his commitment to excellence—through patience, hard work, and meticulous attention to detail, he transformed worn-out pieces into works of art. And in his later years, though his eyesight made it difficult, he built model boats to stay busy. He’d freely lend his fix-it services to friends and family whenever he could, often asking them for their to-do lists. He was generous with his time and resources.

Tom loved people and good company. He loved parties and dancing, especially dancing with Beverly, his beloved wife who passed away in 2016. He loved food, though not cooking, and always appreciated a homecooked meal or a friend to go to dinner with. He gave his time to the Northbrook and Summit County Historic Societies and researched his ancestry. And he loved fishing, travelling as far as Labrador to see what he could catch. Golf proved to be a challenge, but he enjoyed it all the same. In sum, he hated to be idle—an inefficient use of time.

Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Tom came from pioneer stock, as the 11th generation since Thomas Wheeler immigrated to New England in the 1630s. He later graduated from Grandview High School in 1950 and enrolled at the Ohio State University—the same university his grandparents and father attended. Later two of his children and his grandson would also attend. Upon receiving his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, he served in the Army Corps of Engineers as a first lieutenant from 1955 to 1957 in Germany. There, his friend Jürgen and a German family that took him in—purportedly because he had a car—helped him navigate German culture and secure invitations to dinner parties with dancing. He later credited his time in the service for much of his success because it taught him about how to work with people and to get a job done right—with excellence.

But after Germany, the service, and the “oom-pah-pah” bands, he attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his master’s in industrial management in just 18 months and went to work at Suburban Motor Freight as an industrial engineer, tasked with turning around a Chicago trucking terminal that had never been profitable. After two years, Tom turned it around; they became profitable; and Tom went to work at A.T. Kearney Consulting, a transport consulting company. But in 1967, he started his 27-year career with the United Parcel Service where he spent 12 years overseeing the industrial-engineering department and 15 years managing the corporate real-estate department. During that 27 years, the company’s stock split numerous times - he really was an efficiency expert.

Though immensely successful in his career, Tom was most proud of his family, who motivated him to work hard. He is survived by his children, Gaye Hoeflich, Julia O’Hickey, Kent Wheeler, and Jerry Wheeler, his nine grandchildren, one great-granddaughter and Beverly’s children Laura Freese and Jason Freese.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Flying X Ranch to improve the accessibility to a lower fishing pond via the Ever Loved Donation page on this website.

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