Vera Helen (Lemme) Wheaton, 95, went to be with her Lord while at her home in Mackey, on Monday, May 30, 2016. 

She was born on August 2, 1920 to Clinton and Alma (Kohlmeier) Lemme.   

She lived all of her adult life in the Mackey area. As a child, Vera experienced scarlet fever (or rheumatic fever) when the family lived in Grandview, Indiana.  At the onset, a physician told the family that Vera wouldn’t see her 18th birthday due to the effects of the disease. Much of her time was spent resting.  The family encouraged her to take piano lessons as a diversion.  For several years, her health caused her to miss a lot of school.  But eventually, when the Lemmes moved to Mackey, her health began to improve. Ironically, she was the last one of her generation on both sides of her families to pass away. 

She eventually met and married the love of her life, Maurice Wheaton, on December 22, 1944, in the Methodist parsonage at Elberfeld, while he was home on Army furlough. 

They were blessed with three children:  Mary Jo, Eric, and Aaron.  The Wheatons began farming southeast of Mackey in 1951.  Besides being a stay-at-home mom and farm wife, Vera raised 1000s of chickens and turkeys for various feed companies on the Wheaton farm. 

Vera played the organ and piano at the Mackey Salem United Methodist Church where she was a member for years.  For years she enjoyed taking lessons from musician Jan Metcalf at Shuttler Music of Evansville into her 70s.   In addition, she blessed many families as the featured organist at the Corn-Colvin Mortuary in Oakland City.  She enjoyed being in TOPS and KOPS (Take/Keep Off Pounds Sensibly). She traveled the world (Hawaii, Switzerland, Germany, England, Mexico), went on a cruise (St. Thomas, Puerto Rico), and did a road trip through Canada, New York, all with her dear friend, Wilma Miley, and some with Mildred Haley.

She is survived by daughter, Mary Jo Grubb Barnard (John), of Albion, Illinois; by son, Eric Wheaton of Evansville; by son, Pastor Aaron Wheaton (Cynthia) of Terre Haute; by grandchildren Nathan Grubb of Fairfield, IL, Jessica Grubb Casada (Dana) of Bluford, IL, Isaac Wheaton (Peter’s twin) of Lexington, KY, and Andrew Wheaton (Kelly) of Temuco, Chile; by four great grandchildren, Johnathan and Hannah Jo Casada of Bluford, Illinois;  and  by Rayen and Ahava Wheaton Pastene of Temuco, Chile; and by numerous nieces and nephews.

Those family members preceding her in death include her husband of almost 70 years, Maurice; her dear brother, Leland Lemme (Gertrude); her dear sister, who passed away only two months ago, Orel Graper (Bud); an infant grandson, Peter Winston; and by numerous brothers and sisters-in-law. 

Funeral services will be at the Mackey Salem United Methodist Church at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 2 with Rev. Matt Malin officiating.  Burial is at the Albright Cemetery east of Mackey. 

Visitation is at the Corn-Colvin Mortuary, 323 N. Main St., in Oakland City on Wednesday, June 1, from 4 – 8 p.m.  

The family would like to thank Vera’s cherished care givers: Becky Meece, Faye Freudenberg, Marlene L. Ashley & Teresa Utley for their kind and considerate care.