Charley H. Wheeler, Jr., 89, of Marietta, passed peacefully to be with his Lord Oct. 16, 2017.
A memorial service will be held 11:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Carmichael Funeral Home in Marietta, Georgia.
Mr. Wheeler was preceded in death by his father Charley H. Wheeler, Sr. of Columbus, NC and his mother, Beuna Newton Wheeler of Charlotte, NC. He is survived by his wife, Mary Simpkins Wheeler, Blacksburg, Virginia; a daughter, Celine Wheeler Thomas, Acworth, Georgia, and her husband, Keith; a son, Charley H. Wheeler, III (Hap), Woodstock, Georgia, and his wife Tamara Bundy Wheeler; a stepson, Robert M. Polstra III, Buford, Georgia, and his wife Julie Trainer Polstra; a stepdaughter, Catherine Polstra Stancil, Hiawassee, Georgia, and her husband Richard; nine grandchildren and step-grandchildren, Natalie Thomas, Mikhail Thomas, Sarah Ham Blades and her husband Adam, Mathew Ham, Davis Polstra, Eva Polstra, Trainer Polstra, Hayden Stancil, and Aaron Stancil; two brothers-in-law, Walter Simpkins, Blacksburg, Virginia, and his wife, Betty, and Curtis Simpkins, Aragon, Georgia, and his wife, Lyn.
Charley’s work included postal clerk, civil engineer, and a stress engineer. He culminated his career as an engineer finishing 28 years in various stress areas at Lockheed Georgia.
He served his country after dropping out of high school and joining the Army as a Paratrooper 11th Airborne WWII serving in Japan. He also was a commissioned officer and served from 1954 to 1962 in the Corps of Engineers. In addition, he received a commission in 1951 in order to teach lower classes ROTC at The Citadel, the Military College of the South. He graduated in Civil Engineering from The Citadel, the Military College of the South, ’53.
He participated in The Summerall Guard his last year. Charley began learning judo in northern Japan during the occupation. He devoted much of his life to promoting judo. He was a Six Degree Black Belt. Charley and also served in the Georgia State Defense Force seven years. He ended his time with the Georgia State Defense Force Association (GSDF), as a Captain, First Brigade S4.
The family will receive friends one hour before the service at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the West Georgia College Judo Club, 168 W Putnam Ferry Rd., Woodstock, GA 30189 or to the Georgia State Defense Force Association (GSDF), 315 Whistler Drive, Canton, GA 30115. The family is in the care of Carmichael Funeral Home, Marietta. Georgia.
