In Memorium
C. Herbert Wheeler (1915-2006), 90, professor emeritus of architectural engineering, died Saturday, Jan. 7, 2006, at his home in State College, PA. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with an architecture degree and a commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the Army Reserves in 1937. He attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology on a fellowship and received a master's degree in architecture in 1940. In 1942, he was called to active military duty until 1945. He left the service as a Major and received a Commendation Ribbon in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He returned to work and became a registered architect, designing several industrial buildings and serving as architect on the design of the New York City Board of Transportation Power Plant on East River Drive. In 1964, he came to Penn State as associate professor of AE, with a joint appointment in AE and the Penn State Building Research Institute. In 1970, he became a full professor. Ten years later he retired with emeritus status and the Dawn Redwood tree was planted in his honor outside the Hintz Alumni Building, just north of Engineering Unit A.
He was a member of many professional organizations, often in leadership roles, including the American Institute of Architects (he became a Fellow in 1975), the New York Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute, the American Society of Military Engineers, the architectural education division of the American Society of Engineering Educators, and the Professional Development Work Group of the Union International des Architects.
In addition to his wife, Cicely, he is survived by three daughters, Pamela Edmunds and her husband, Tom, of Washington, NJ, Janet Buch and her husband, Jim, of Penfield, NY, and Betsy Somers and her husband, Bob, of Clark's Summit, PA; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2006, at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, with the Rev. Larry Hofer officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to the C. Herbert Wheeler Scholarship in Architectural Engineering, College of Engineering, 101 Hammond Building, University Park, PA 16802.