Jeffrey Wheeler Obituary

Wheeler
JEFFREY R. WHEELER
October 20, 2019
Jeffrey R wheeler, 78, died on Oct 20, 2019 after a short stay with the gentle care of Brookdale Monument Valley Assisted Living and Hospice.
Jeff was born and raised in Waukesha, Wi, by parents Dolores and Robert Wheeler. Fishing, hunting, and sport shooting became his lifelong avocations, along with a love and respect for nature. As an adult, his interest in the law scuttled medical school plans in favor of law school, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1963, followed by a Law Degree in 1966 from the University of Wisconsin. He was accepted to the Wisconsin and Colorado Bars, the Colorado Court of Appeals as well as the Wisconsin, Colorado, and United States Supreme Courts. Serving on the boards of the Valley Hope Alcohol and Addiction Center and Cheyenne Creek Metropolitan Park and Water District were among his proudest achievements, along with being a proud Packer fan!
For better or worse, in his 2nd year of law school, Jeff met and married Jean in 1964, deciding school would be better with her, than without her. By the time he was awarded his Law School degree, his life had expanded to include a wife and 2 daughters, Kara and Jenny, prompting careful career considerations. With a family in tow, Jeff was accepted into the Army's Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG), a 4 yr commitment, which dealt with military justice and law. Fort Carson, in Colorado Springs, Co, became our home in 1967 until Vietnam called in 1970, where he served as a military judge until his year-end discharge. Despite his antipathy to that war, he never entertained a "draft dodger" mentality, duty bound to honor his commitment. Unfortunately, his exposure to Agent Orange would be a causative factor in his demise.
The joyful highlight of his return to civilian life in late 1970, was meeting his 3rd daughter, Holly, born in Sept of that year. A deputy district attorney position with the El Paso County DA office awaited his 1971 return to Co Springs, where he experienced the prosecutorial side of the law, but later choosing to be a defense counsel in private practice for the remainder of his career. As an attorney, Jeff aspired to its highest ideals and remained loyal to that intent for all his professional life. Honesty and devotion in representing his clients was a constant in his life.
As a family, we will miss and honor his optimism and courage as he fought his many health issues, his strong core values as a husband and father, and his playful nicknames for all of us. Jeff is lovingly survived by his wife of 55 yrs, Jean (weeny), daughters Kara "Boo" Kiefer (Mike), Jenny "Nif" Wheeler (Jeff), Holly "H" Mason, grandsons Brandon "B" Kiefer, Garrett "6 toes" Kiefer, Tanner "Tanner Boo" Mason, and Chase "Chasey Duck" Mason, sister Jill "jillybean" Wheeler (Peg), brother Keith "Keither" Wheeler (Cindy), and numerous nieces and nephews.
Donations may be made to the Colorado Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. A private family memorial is planned.