Johnnie Wheatley

Johnnie was born on February 20, 1929 to Lester and Etta (Kirchhoff) Wheatley south of Lewis and lived in the Lewis area all his life. He attended country school. As a young man, he worked on various farms for Karl Kay, Bill Lawton and the neighbors. He drove a cement truck for Allied Engineering for a few years. Johnnie was a school bus driver before he started working for the county. On July 2, 1956 Johnnie and Talena Cook were united in marriage at the Little Brown Church at Nashua, Iowa. In 1956 he started working for Cass County in District Number 4 near Griswold in road maintenance driving a caterpillar as a cat skinner. He retired from the county in 1994 after 38 years. Johnnie was a very handy person doing lots of things in construction. He enjoyed horses and spending time with family and working with his girls on their 4-H calves. Johnnie was a member of the Lewis United Congregational Methodist Church and served on various committees. He was a Cass County Pony Express rider member. Johnnie liked having coffee with the Lewis guys at the coffee shop, taking grandkids on lawn mower rides and playing cards. He was a devoted father and grandfather and loved his family. Johnnie is survived by two daughters Debra Jo Baker and husband Tyler of Atlantic, Lisa Masker and husband Doug of Battle Creek, IA; two grandchildren John Tyler (JT) Baker of Atlantic, Sarah Jo Masker of Battle Creek; one half-sister Evangeline Bruner of Atlantic; sister"s and brother"s-in-laws Evelyn J. Wheatley of Clive, IA, Velma Wheeler of Villisca, IA, Marilyn Weber and husband Don of Leesburg, FL, Rosalee Cook, Fred Vollmuth, Don Cook and wife Marilyn and Cleo Cook all of Atlantic. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Talena; one brother Lester H. Wheatley; three half sisters Susie Nichols, Eloise Lett and Gertrude Jensen; four grandchildren Haley Jo Baker, Matthew, Lacey and John Masker.Funeral InformationIN MEMORY OFJOHNNIE E. WHEATLEYBorn February 20, 1929Lewis, IowaENTERED INTO RESTTuesday, December 9, 2003Atlantic, Iowaat the age of74 years, 9 months, 18 daysFUNERAL SERVICEFriday, December 12, 2003Eleven o&"clock A.M.Lewis United Congregational Methodist ChurchLewis, IowaOFFICIATINGThe Rev. Sharon Guffey-Lewis READING"A Tribute to Dad&" by Dick CookMUSICAL SELECTIONS"Daddy"s Hands&" by Kathy Mata"Drive &" by Alan Jackson"I Can Only Imagine&" by Sarah Masker"In the Garden&"by Randall Breckerbaumer"How Great Thou Art&"by the congregationORGANISTSharon BreckerbaumerBEARERS Drew Kirchhoff David Kirchhoff Corey Kirchhoff Dwayne Kirchhoff Dick Cook Darrin Cook Larry Wheeler Kenneth VollmuthHONORARY BEARERS Mike Murphy Dick Howard Warren Elwood Raymond Butt Jerry Hudson Glen Kirchhoff Ron Neilsen Shorty Ray Marlowe WepplerFLOWER COMMITTEE Mike & Linnea Murphy Bob & Denise Sharp Scott & Linda Waters Jerry & Linda HudsonINTERMENTOakwood CemeteryLewis, IowaFriends and relatives are invited to return to the Lewis United Congregational Methodist Church for lunch and fellowship following the committal service..