Dale Eldon Wheatley, 57, of Cecil passed away Saturday, July 2, 2022, at South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta. His funeral service will be held at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, July 7, 2022, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Mr. Wheatley will be laid to rest at a later date.
Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Georgia Boy’s Tournament Trail, Ulysses Wright, Dale Browning, Russ Hedgecock and Ray Hedgecock.
Born November 30, 1964, in Bloomington, Illinois, Mr. Wheatley was the son of Charles Allen Wheatley and Janice Rose Hayslip Wheatley of Bloomington, Illinois. He was the service manager at Powerhouse Outdoor Equipment in Tifton. He was also a veteran of the United States Air Force. He as a loving husband, father, grandfather and brother and he enjoyed fishing with his son. His “best pal” growing up was his Grandpa Wheatley. He was a strong, hard-working man, who loved wood-working and was a “Jack of all trades”.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Wheatley is survived by his wife, Tracy Droddy Wheatley of Cecil; two sons and one daughter-in-law, John and Jessica Wheatley of Lakeland and Nicholas Wheatley of Acworth; five daughters, Ann Mahlstadt, Kassie Wheatley, Katey Wheatley and Kelly Wheatley, all of Lakeland and Amber Droddy of Valdosta; two step-sons, Steven Droddy of Orange, Texas and Ryan Bivins of New York; one step-daughter, Rachele Mills of Douglas; his maternal grandmother, Jeanette Hayslip of Bloomington, Illinois; four brothers, Donald Wheatley and David Wheatley, both of Bloomington, Illinois, Dan Wheatley of Lakewood, Colorado and Dennis Wheatley of Green Valley, Arizona; and 24 grandchildren.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to Saint Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org.