Mildred Menefee Wheeler

Mildred Menefee Wheeler was born May 11, 1933, to Rollo and Elizabeth Menefee in Cleveland Ohio and to this union nine children were born eight of which along with her parents all preceded her in death. She transitioned October 23, 2023, at the home of her daughter, Lavetta Ledbetter, surrounded by family, friends, and medical staff.

Mildred was educated in the Cleveland Public School system and pursued several different types of careers such as beauty school, cooking, hospital work etc. before becoming employed for Case Western Reserve University supervising a staff of fifty environmental service workers before retiring after a tenure of 36 years.

Mildred was joined in holy matrimony to Joe Wheeler for forty years and from this union were born four children, Mildred also brought six children to this union. Together, Mildred and Joe raised their children in a loving home. They eventually opened two businesses, an exterminating company, and a restaurant that was very successful which Mildred closed after her husband's death.

She was a God-fearing woman who gave her life to Christ at a young age and never looked back. Mildred never used foul language and was a quiet-spoken woman who neither smoked nor drank. She grew up in Bethel AME Zion Church and as adult transferred her membership to Mt. Gillian Church and later rejoined Bethel AME Zion church with some of her adult children in the early 90s, where she faithfully attended until her health began to fail her. Even then, she spent her days listening to the Gospel message and music in the privacy of her home and praised the Lord and prayed up until her last breath. Her favorite prayer was "Let this mind be in me, which was in Christ Jesus, and keep my hand in your hand, and keep my feet steadfast." She often said "He, Jesus, is all mine and I am all His."

She always put her children first, their household was family oriented, filled with joy, love, and peace. She knew no man by the flesh and saw no flaws in people but loved all unconditionally. She cared deeply about children and often took neighborhood children into her home feeding and clothing them and often feeding anyone that was hungry when she was in the restaurant business.

She leaves to cherish her memory: three sons, John Cheney, Gregory Stover, and Joseph Wheeler (Joan), and seven daughters, Jacquelyn Greene, Rozetta Rush (Stanley, deceased), Lavetta Ledbetter (George, deceased), Arletta Bell (Fred), Janice Easley (Eddie), Yalonda Reeves, (Bernie) Schanta Safo (Renard), twenty-nine grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.