Richard “Dick” Merrill Wheeler, 79, of Winchester, VA, passed away after a short illness on Saturday, February 12, 2022, at Winchester Medical Center.

Dick was born in 1942 in Washington D.C. the son of the late Richard Smith Wheeler and Dora Hughes. He married Amelia Upthegrove on November 18, 1967, in St. Louis, MO.

Dick attended Wakefield High School in Arlington, VA. He received his BA and Ph.D. in Physics from Johns Hopkins University. He was a Professor of Physics at SUNY College at Cortland in Cortland, NY, from 1973 to 2008, and was a Visiting Professor of Physics at Cornell University Summer School in Ithaca, NY, from 1990 to 2009.

After Dick’s retirement, he and Amelia moved to Winchester in 2010. Living in Winchester Dick sang in the choir at Braddock Street United Methodist Church—amongst others—continuing a lifelong love of choral performance. He was active in his high school alumni groups and pursued an interest in genealogy that he inherited from his father.

Dick is survived by his wife, Amelia; son, Richard Wheeler of South Pasadena, CA; brothers, Douglas Wheeler of Arlington, VA and David Wheeler of Jacksonville, IL.

Donations in Dick’s memory can be made to the Richard Wheeler Endowed Memorial Fund at SUNY Cortland at www.RedDragonNetwork.org/wheelertribute

All services for Dick will be private.