Bertha Annie Wheeless

Bertha Urbanek Wheeless died at Worland Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center on

April 26, 2006.

Bertha was born on June 15, 1917, in Taylor, TX to Frank F. and Theresa Ann (Kaspar) Urbanek. She grew up on a dry land cotton farm, working alongside her four brothers, two sisters and parents. The family moved to Rowena, TX in 1923 and farmed there for 12 years before moving back to Taylor. Her mother died of complications following childbirth in 1929, and Bertha had to drop out of school in the 8th grade to help her sisters raise her infant brother.

She met her future husband, Chester H. Wheeless, a neighboring farm boy, while in Rowena, and was married in Taylor in 1936. Chester worked as a carpenter on WPA projects until WWII, when he joined the Army and became a pilot in the US Army Air Corps. Bertha followed her husband from job to job during the 1930’s, living in tents or small trailer, and remembered it as a hard but happy time in her life. After WWII, Chester built houses in Fort Worth, TX, until he was recalled by the Air Force during the Korean conflict. He then stayed in the military until retirement in 1970. They retired to Ft. Worth, TX until Chester’s death in 1997. She then moved to Worland, WY to be near her son. In 2000 she moved to Worland Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, where she resided until her death.

Bertha was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers Frank, Leo and Bernie Urbanek; and her sisters Elsie Kloesel, and Ruth Humphries.

She is survived by her son Chet (Wendy) Wheeless of Worland; daughter: Carol (Michael) Santoki of Sacramento, CA; her brother Alex (Alma) Urbanek of Taylor, TX; seven grandchildren; numerous nephews and nieces, and the friends and staff of Worland Healthcare she considered to be her family.

Mass of the Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday May 3, 2006 at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Taylor, TX. A Prayer Vigil will be heard 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 2, 2006. Burial will follow the funeral in the Taylor City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that she, and her love of dogs, be remembered by a donation to the New Hope Humane Society in care of Bryant Funeral Home, PO Box 524, Worland, WY 82401. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Bryant Funeral Home in Worland and Providence Funeral Home in Taylor.