Merle Douglas Wheeler, 85, of Derby, passed peacefully at home on January 2, 2022.  He was born May 16, 1936, the eldest of two sons, to Daisy Belle Locke and Willard Stanley Wheeler in Holland, VT.

After attending Derby Academy, he joined the Navy for four years and then returned to Derby Line.  He was an electrician for Bates & Murray before he became the Rural Route Carrier for Derby, VT- a job he retired from thirty-seven years later.  He converted to Catholicism in order to marry the love of his life who he met at a high school music festival.  Cecile Charlotte Patenaude (of Holland then Derby Line, VT) and Merle were married on January 16, 1960 at St. Edward's Catholic Church.  They remained very active parishioners of the church throughout their marriage.  Merle was a fourth-degree member of the Knights of Columbus.

Together they raised four children who greatly miss him – Lisa (Doug) Dickinson of Martinsburg, West VA, Michael Wheeler of Derby, VT, Stephen (Amy) Wheeler of Derby, VT and Annette Nisbet (Will Inglis)      of Brownington, VT.

He was a man of many interests and left friends behind no matter where he went.  The second love of his life was music.  He continued playing the saxophone until his final days.  He was a member of the Newport City Volunteer Band for many years.  Three granddaughters (Samantha, Tiffany & Carmen Wheeler), his son, Stephen, and daughter, Annette, all had the honor of playing in this band with him throughout the years.  He was a history buff and an active member of the Derby Historical Society and the Derby Academy Alumni Association.  He was especially proud that his great grandfather, William Jewitt, was one of the ten Jewitt brothers known for their covered bridge building in Montgomery, VT.  This tied into his love of genealogy and he loved making connections, even for those outside of his family, so they would understand their family history too.

And if this wasn't enough, he was a car buff.  He kept a record of every car he ever owned and every modification he made to them along the way – and there were many!  In fact, he loved to identify just about any older car, even as he met it on the road.  He was a member of the Cars of Yesteryear which was a great venue to tell his automotive stories of yore.

He gladly taught his family how to make maple syrup alongside his father, Willard, and continued sugaring after Willard passed.  In fact, he passed his extreme love for sugar making to his son, Steve, who still boils today.  Merle never missed a single boil, even while caring for his wife as she bravely fought Alzheimer's.  Merle succeeded in his goal of making sure his beloved Cecile died in her own bed by caring for her himself. She predeceased him on April 5, 2021, and its nice to know they are dancing again in heaven as they were wonderful dance partners in their younger years.

In addition to his four children, Merle is survived by his younger brother, Paul (Jean) Wheeler of Derby, VT.  Ten grandchildren will fondly remember learning children's songs, four-wheeler rides through the woods and Pepere's 'special' sandwiches for lunch.  He also has eleven great grandchildren who really never got to know what a humorous, kind hearted and loving man he was.

Calling hours will be Thursday January 6, 2022 from 6-8 pm at Curtis-Britch-Bouffard Funeral Home (4670 Darling Hill Rd. Newport, VT) and the funeral mass will be Friday January 7, 2022 at 11 am at St. Edward the Confessor Roman Catholic Church in Derby Line, VT.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Edward's Catholic Church or the Derby Historical Society. On-line condolences at curtis-britch.com.  Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Curtis-Britch & Bouffard Funeral Home & Cremation Service, locally family owned and operated.