 This is Dad and Mum's wedding June 23 1942. Thank you God they made this important date. |
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 This is a picture of the whole family without Dad as he had died Feb 24 1980. We had a reunion at Beausejour MB |
 Ted at 4 years old and I'm doing what I always did best drive. |
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How did I ever get where I am now? I want to try to
explain what I am feeling inside when I look out and think about my
name Edward D Wheeler. What do I offer to the world around us? If I was
God would I look down and be happy with the guy I see? WOW thats
a major question. When I am gone will I have accomplished
what He had in mind at conception? Some days I feel that I am
playing the part of Mary's husband Joseph.
Now I have read the bible and I do not see much about
Joseph except that he loved Mary and did his best to support his
family. To me this is what God calls us to when He created us, that we
love one another. Our family now is made up of my love, best friend,
companion and wife Judith Anne. We have been blessed with two beautiful
daughters Terry Anne and Kim Marie. They married and blessed us with
six wonderful grandchildren, Zoe, Alex, Ted, Theresa, Florie and
Andrew. So this then is "My" family and, in a whole lot of years if
someone keeps up the family tree that I have started what will it look
like. How will those people feel about the fact that Edward &
Judy are the Great, Great, Grandparents.
Now where is this all coming from. I have a story to share and I enjoy sharing it almost to a fault. When I am out with Judy she will say Ted not everyone has time to listen to this story. So now I can go to the beginning and tell the story of Ted's life.
A man born in Kent County ON in June 1914 moved to Windsor
ON and at the time of the second World War joined the Essex Scottish to
fight against the Germans. He had family in Worcester England and went
there to see them. He had some free time and decided to go to a movie
show.
A young woman from Ombersely England decided to go to see
her Dad who was in hospital due to a hernia operation. The bus had her
there early so to kill time she went to the show. A man with a strange
accent behind her asked "What time does this joint open" They started
talking and stopped when he died Feb 24 1980. They were married June 23
1942 in a happy small service in Ombersley. Dad's brother was very
happy for their coming together .
My older brother Peter was born Jan 2 1944 and then while Dad was on his way home to Canada from France he had a one day leave and so I am here. My parents went on to have a total of 10 children 6 girls and 4 boys. The youngest David was born April 4 1966. Dad worked hard as a truck driver and Mom for the most part stayed home and raised us. Mum did have a job at one time at a place called Yorkshire Fish and Chips that had been on Howard Ave in Windsor On which is where we grew up.
We arrived in Canada and Windsor near the end of May 1946. Dad was already here and had a home for us at 856 3rd Con. Rd. Sandwich E On the edge of Windsor. Three weeks after we arrived on June 17 1946 there was a very major class 4 tornado. In Windsor 17 people died and there were 5 in our house, thank God we all survived. It was the first time Mum had been home alone with us to cook supper. In our house that day were Dad, Mum, Pete, myself and our Cousin Faith Wheeler, whose Dad died in the war. I had been crying when Dad came home and Mum said "Go ahead and pick him up you will b picking him up for the rest of his life" The truth is he pretty much did as he did get me a job in trucking when I was nineteen that I kept until I retired at 65 years old.
My early years were made up of doing what young boys do when left to explore the world around them. Dad was at work much of the time and Mum was left to try to keep us in line with new ones coming along every couple years. I did not do overly well in school okay I sucked at school I was enjoying being out side playing more then book work. Mum even wrote in one report card I would get Ted to read more if I could get him to come in the house. I have to say here I have come to find that my Mum was no slouch when it came to knowledge and teaching
School was a bad time for me pretty much from the word go. I failed grade 1 and then after grade three they sent us to a different school that had opened in our area. I did grades 4 to 7 there and then went back to Gilmore school. I didn't do well and at the end of grade 8 they told me your marks are to low for grade 9 and you are to old to stay in grade 8 so I went to W.D. Lowe which had a tech course. I enjoyed it a lot the tech part at least but did not do well enough to make it to regular high school. So at 17 I was done with school and out into the working world.
I still do not remember how I landed my first job it was
working a a car wash call West Grand Auto Wash. I worked there for
about 6 months when I was called by a friend from St. Luke in the
Fields church Bob Kelk. He told me he was leaving a gas station and he
felt they would hire me to work on cars and pump gas. After being there
for about six months I received a call from Joe Harrison our nest door
neighbour. Joe was a sales man for Downtown Motors in Windsor and He
said I could work there changing oil and working on cars. Again about
six months later the people at the gas station called and said JH Hall
Mechanical were looking for a person to help repair gas pumps and air
compressors. I enjoyed all these jobs and each one was a bit higher
pay.
Then about June 20 1965 I was sent home after working for
Hall Mechanical at the end of the day. The way the boss sent me home I
thought I was fired. I was nineteen and a half and quite naive. The
next day was a Fri and my Dad who worked for Inter-City Truck Lines
went to work as usual then called home and told my Mum to have me come
down and apply. Her said I had to put my age as twenty and I could only
work on the dock as you had to be twenty one to drive. I did as he said
and that was the start of the rest of my work carrier.