John F. Wheelan Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Around midnight on New Year's Eve, John F. Wheelan Jr. Known as "Jack" to his loved ones) at age 89, passed into eternal life surrounded by his family. Jack was born in Pueblo, Co in 1927. While he was still young, his parents John F Wheelan Sr and Clara M (Nittenger) moved to Vallejo where they opened a grocery store and soda shop. There, he met his future wife Joan (Rardin), an employee at his parents' shop. Needing a chaperone for their dates, Jack and Joan invited her sister Pat, and his brother Bob to join them. The arrangement worked well, and the four celebrated a double wedding at Saint Vincent's Church on September 9th, 1950. Jack graduated from Saint Vincent's high school. He was employed at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. He joined the Navy and was released with an honorable discharge. He returned to Mare Island where he worked for 36 years. He retired from the Planning Department in the design division as a Naval Architectural Technician with Top Secret clearance. He participated in classified military projects including work on the first nuclear submarine and several others thereafter. Jack and Joan moved from Vallejo to Napa where they raised their 7 children together. Despite the demanding duties of his job and family, Jack always found time to help anyone in need, a value he passed along to his children. He also managed to find time to go duck hunting with his brother and children, and work on various home projects. Jack was a devout Catholic who was a member of St. Apolinaris Church. Jack was predeceased by his father John Sr., mother Clara, brother Robert (Bob), sister Marie & sister-in-law Patricia. He is survived by his wife Joan , his 7 children Don, Dan, Pat, Fr. Mark, Jim, John and Jeannette, their spouses, and a vast extended family including 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, nephews and nieces who all loved him very much. We are praying he is reunited in heaven with his family and his best friend, his brother Bob.

John F. Wheelan

June 1, 1927 - January 1, 2017

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John F. Wheelan

June 1, 1927 - January 1, 2017

Obituary Notification

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