Tribute

Patricia Dawn Wheeler (Rothwell) was born on Dec, 11, 1946 at the St. Eugene Hospital in Cranbrook and passed away on July 28, 2021 after a short illness with COPD.

This is her story. . .

I  grew up on the family farm in the Mayook Valley (near Wardner) and was raised by parents, Mac and Thelma Rothwell and Grandparents, William & Edith Rothwell.  My brother Ron was 15 months older. We lived with our grandparents in the  beautiful  log  home overlooking Ha Ha Lake until we moved “around the corner”  to our own home four or five years later.  Sister, Charlene completed our family when I was 5 ½.

Our livelihood consisted of our Hereford cows, haying, a large  garden  and Christmas trees.  We would sell our trees and cattle in the fall and that money  had to maintain us for the next year. It was a tough but good life.

After school in Wardner and Cranbrook,  I started working for B. C. Telephone as an operator on Aug. 2, 1965. Getting a paycheque every two weeks and having fun doing it was so much better than school!  Early on in my career I met the love of my life, Barry Wheeler, and we married on May 24, 1969. Together we enjoyed Jaycees, stock car racing, snowmobiling, travelling, Kootenay Ice hockey and anytime spent with nephews Ken & Randy.  Later on I became a happy cheerleader to my great nephews Chase  and Tripp and great niece Kinley for hockey, soccer, Bandelaro car racing, dance and school activities.  My career included several clerical jobs and ended driving a 5 ton supply  truck  around the East Kootenays.  That 38  years held many good memories.

I was fortunate to have lived my whole life in Cranbrook  looking out on our beautiful Fisher Peak and Steeples Range.

Barry died in 2007 and both Mom and Dad in 2000.   I am survived by my brother, Ron and sister-in-law  Maureen and my nephew  Ken of Vancouver, his children Logan and Shannon and their mother Michelle of Portland, Oregon; my sister, Charlene of Cranbrook. (Her partner, Bruce died in 2007 also);  nephew  Randy with his children Chase (who had given me my favourite nickname Apa when he was about one), Tripp and Kinley and their mother Courtney of Cranbrook.  Also surviving me are brothers -in-law Lorne and wife Pat of Toronto and Ray Wheeler of Victoria.

There will be a celebration of life for Pat, on Friday August 13, 2021, at the Eagles Hall, 711 Kootenay St North,  Cranbrook from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.  All are welcome to attend.  No flowers please.  If you care to make a donation to the East Kootenay SPCA.  http//spca.bc.ca/locations/east-kootenay/  (Box 2, Cranbrook, B. C. V1C 2N1) or  East Kootenay Hospital Foundation 13 -24 Ave. N., Cranbrook, B. C. V1C 3H9  it would be appreciated.