The Herald Democrat
October 19, 2010

SHERMAN - Reverend Paul M. Wheelus, 82, passed away on Saturday, October 16, 2010, at Brentwood Place in Denison. Dannel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, October 20, at North Park Baptist Church in Sherman. Rev. David Murphy of North Park Baptist Church; Rev. Alan Mattingly, Chaplain of Always Better Care; and Rev. Charles Sneed will officiate. Interment will follow in Friendship Cemetery.
Rev. Wheelus was born in Hugo, Okla. on October 16, 1928, to Thomas Harrison and Oma Florence (Morton) Wheelus. He was known for his evangelism, revivals, and missionary to the native American Indians in Oklahoma for over 60 years. He began his ministry while in the 10th grade at Hugo High School in Hugo, Okla., riding his bicycle back and forth to preach
at New Hope Church five miles north of Hugo.
During his senior year, he pastored at Sobol Baptist Church East of Antlers, Okla., graduated from high school and married his high school sweetheart Monnie Marie Ward, daughter of the late Rev. J. B. and Monnie Ward. The couple married on June 7, 1949 at Clayton Ave. Baptist Church, where he had been ordained to preach in 1947.
The couple moved to Durant, Okla. to attend Southeastern State University and while attending school, pastored the Brown Baptist Church, northwest of Durant. The last two years of college, he accepted the pastorate at First Baptist, Kingston, Okla. After graduating from college, they moved to First Baptist in Calera, Okla., and both of them enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.
After his seminary days, his other pastorates included Mayridge Baptist in Oklahoma City, Okla.; Elmdale Baptist in Springdale, Ark.; North Park Baptist in Sherman; First Baptist in Brenham; Sale Street Baptist in Lake Charles, La.; First Baptist in Fairview; and Bounds Baptist in Powderly. He went to Country Chapel Baptist in Denison six years ago and retired from there.
Rev. Wheelus was predeceased by his parents; a daughter, Jerelyn; a daughter-in-law, Mary Osborn Wheelus; brothers, Wilburn Wheelus and Thomas Wheelus; sisters, Evelyn Green and Charlyne Colston; and nephew, Bob Bush. His surviving family includes his wife, Monnie; son, Paul Wheelus, Jr.; daughter, Jill Brown Hill and husband Gary of Sherman; nephew-in-law Dr. J.T. Bolding and wife Barbara of Springdale, Ark.; nephews, Don Bush and wife Nancy of Jackson, Miss. and Marty Garrett, who was like a brother; and four grandchildren, Cam Brown, Cory Wheelus, Molly Brown and Cody Strickland.
If desired, memorials may be made to Country Chapel Baptist, 8414 Dripping Springs Rd., Denison, Texas 75021 or North Park Baptist, 2605 Rex Cruse Dr., Sherman, Texas 75092.