Butch Wheeler

Richard Lee (Butch) Wheeler, 72, passed away at the Bennett County Hospital on Friday, September 17, 2021, following a short illness.

Butch was born August 13, 1949, in Gordon to Burnell and Dorothy (Ray) Wheeler, the eldest of five children. He grew up in Martin, where he attended school, graduating from Bennett County High School in 1967.

He had many jobs throughout his lifetime. When he was a young man, he drove trucks for his father and continued to do so for a few years. For a short time, he worked construction in Greybull, Wyo., he was a school bus driver and sold equipment locally for GE Enterprises. Butch also worked in sales for RDO Equipment in Rapid City. Later, Butch took on a role in Sherry’s local diner called Bingos, as a cook, dessert maker and…. Butch delivered mail for the Martin Post Office. He also helped Darin and Keith Oetting with their harvesting company, traveling from Texas to North Dakota.

In his spare time, he loved to fish and trap. Butch was known to be quite the prankster, leaving him and others with many memorable stories. Anyone who knew him, knew he was a great collector of “stuff”. He had a warm smile, a quick wit and wonderful sense of humor. Butch reminisced and told stories until hours before his death.

Butch is survived by his wife Sherry, brothers Larry (Diane), Tampa, Fla., Ron Wheeler, Martin. Sisters Suzie (Carl) Bauman, Kadoka, Terri Wheeler (Patrick Kenny), Anaheim, Calif. Daughter, Pamela Brown, Arizona. Grandchildren Abby Brown, Arizona and Grant Pilling, Arizona, Logan and Paige Wright, Wood. Roby Wade and Pring were also part of Butch’s family. Butch is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 23, in the new American Legion in Martin.