Viola “June” Wheeler, 87, of Silver Lake, died on Feb. 1, 2014, at her daughter’s home in Sheboygan.
She was born July 7, 1926, to the late Eugene and Anna Hartnell of Salem. She attended local schools and graduated from UW-Madison in 1946.
She was one of the first women to graduate from UW-Madison with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. In the 1970s June obtained her master’s degree in mathematics from Marquette University in Milwaukee.
June met Frank Harris “Moon” Wheeler while they were working as engineers in California. They were married on May 10, 1947, and moved to Silver Lake shortly thereafter.
June taught mathematics at Wilmot High School and Badger High School for more than 30 years. She greatly enjoyed teaching and led many students to careers in mathematics and engineering.
June also promoted women in the field of engineering nationwide and received the Herb Kohl award for Teacher of the Year.
An avid hiker, June enjoyed the trails of the Rawah Wilderness area in North Central Colorado, as well as many trails in other parts of the nation.
June was a long-time member of the Ice Age Trail Organization in Wisconsin, hiking not only the Ice Age Trails in Southern Wisconsin but was also an honored member who helped to maintain existing trails and blaze new ones.
She is survived by her children Geoffrey Wheeler of Northfield, Minn.; Harris (Cyndi) Wheeler of Birmingham, Ala.; Ellyn (Herb) Becker of Sheboygan, and Tracey Wheeler of Salem; four children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
She was further preceded in death by her husband and many friends. No funeral services are planned, as it was June’s wish not to be remembered in death, but in life.
A memorial gathering will be held in Salem at a later date. Memorial donations can be made to the Ice Age Trail, care of Tracy Wheeler, 6114 245th Ave, Salem, Wis.
Well-wishers can sign her online guest book at www.zimmerfuneralhome.com.