NORWAY — Charles “Sonny” J. Wheeler Sr., 91, of South Paris passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 29, at Stephens Memorial Hospital.

He was born in Boston, Mass., Jan. 2, 1919, the son of Francis Thomas and Julia M. Taffe Wheeler. He attended school in Manchester. He enlisted in the National Guard, Company F-103, Infantry Corp. from 1939 to 1941.

He was a call fireman in Augusta from 1945 to 1955, and worked for Westinghouse. He was fire chief in Augusta from 1961 to 1963 and deputy fire chief from 1963 to 1966. He went to work for the Maine Department of Transportation in 1966. He was the electrical foreman for traffic lights, retiring in 1982.

He held his Maine Guide license for 77 years, being the youngest to ever get a license. He married Evelyn Lee Flagg in 1941, she died in 1989. He married Hazel M. Jefferson.

He is survived by his wife of South Paris; a son, Charles J. II and his partner, Melody Jenkins, of Readfield; a stepson, Carl Flagg of Morristown, Pa.; a stepdaughter, Diane Waltanen of South Paris; two grandchildren, Shianne Priest and her husband, Jeff, of Old Town and Joshua Wheeler of Winthrop and their mother, Jan Burns; a great-grandson, Tyler Priest; two sisters, Frances Trepanier of Augusta and Elinor Williams of Jacksonville, Fla.; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by a stepdaughter, Nancy Larrabee.

Online condolences may be shared with his family at www.westonchandler.com.

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