WILLIAM MEADE WHELESS, JR.
1922-2018
William Meade Wheless, Jr., age 96, passed away on Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 in Houston, Texas. Meade was born on January 5, 1922 in Beaumont, Texas to William Meade “Fishback” Wheless, Sr., and Mary “Maime” Heinen Wheless. He was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy Park Wheless, parents William Meade Wheless and Mary Heinen Wheless, and his sister, Mary Wheless Wilson. His father was an executive for the Gulf Oil Company, and Meade spent his early childhood living in San Antonio. He later moved to Houston with his family. He graduated from Lamar High School, and he attended the University of Texas in Austin, where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. Meade joined the Army Air Corps when World War II broke out. He received his initial flight training in San Antonio and later trained at Homestead Air Force Base in Florida. Upon receiving his wings, he was assigned to the ChinaBurma-India-Theater, based in the Assam Valley in northeastern India. He and his squadron flew C-47s over the Himalayas supplying General Stilwell and Colonel Merrill in Burma, and Allied forces stationed in Yunnan Province in China. Meade survived many dangerous missions and was awarded the Air Medal on one occasion for a low-level supply drop to surrounded US troops in enemy territory. World War II had a tremendous influence on his life, and he reminisced about it frequently. At the end of the war, he declined the offer of remaining in theater to airlift aid to the Chinese population, and Meade returned to Houston to marry his sweetheart Nancy Park on March 17, 1945 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.
Meade joined his family’s real estate business after the war. He developed Mary Meade Ranch near Hunt, Texas, where his family still shares many happy memories. Jesse Jones was very instrumental in the Wheless and Abercrombie families’ acquisition of the Cinco Ranch in West Houston in 1937. Meade was the coowner and manager of Cinco Ranch for over 40 years, at which point the Ranch was sold to Meade’s friend, Bob Mosbacher. The Whelesses have wonderful recollections of their years at the Ranch where a love of the outdoors was instilled in them. Meade was actively involved with other family-owned properties as well, notably the Atascocita Country Club and surrounding acreage, The Figure Four Farm, and the Woods Edge subdivision. He also served as a founding director of the Southern National Bank.
Meade and Nancy’s marriage spanned 72 years, 2 months and 2 days, lasting up to the day we lost Mother on May 18th of last year. They loved to travel the world with their children and recounted many fond memories of their adventures; they visited almost every corner of the globe. Meade enjoyed playing tennis with his friends at the Houston Country Club. He also loved growing roses and camellias and was very active as President in the Camellia Society, and as a member of the Rose Society.
Meade is survived by his children, William Meade Wheless III and his wife, Laura Overton Wheless; David Brownell Wheless and his wife Annie Cook Wheless; Robert Frederick Wheless and his wife Laura Moore Wheless; Nancy Wheless Zimmerman and her husband, Robert; and Patricia Wheless Hoban and her husband, Richard. Meade and Nancy have 16 grandchildren: Sarah Wheless Murrin and her husband, Philip; William Meade Wheless IV and his wife Laura Wareing; Laura Laird Wheless Hilgers and her husband, Steve; Mary Kay Wheless Hunt and her husband, Thomas; David Brownell Wheless, Jr., William Claude Wheless, Nancy Elizabeth Wheless; Lloyd Marion Wheless, Stedman Meade Wheless, Hannah Caitlin Wheless, Elise Zimmerman Wright, Adelaide Zimmerman Emanuele, William Meade Zimmerman, John Marcus Greer III, Madeline Meade Greer, and Mary Brownell Greer. Meade and Nancy have 16 great grand-children: Philip Murrin, Jr., Mary Elizabeth Murrin, Carolina Cuilty Murrin, Elizabeth Louise Wheless, William Meade Wheless, V., John Wareing Wheless, Madeline May Wheless, Robert Overton Wheless, Abigail Laird Hilgers, Anna Claire Hilgers, Marguerite Maude Hilgers, Sarah Elizabeth Hilgers, Matthew Thomas Hunt, Elizabeth Kathryn Hunt, Maxwell Robert Emanuele and Bodie Camden Wright.
Meade and Nancy always put their family first and were blessed with many heirs.
The family would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the doctors, nurses and staff at St. Luke’s Hospital as well as the many caregivers who cared for Meade, including Sheila Cortez, Tosheba Cain, Tailia Booker, Catalina Arguello, Brittany Anekwe and of course, our departed friend and companion, Richard Alexander. In particular, we would like to thank Dr. James Willerson, Mae Thomas, Victor Garcia and Amelia Escobedo.
Meade often lamented that he had lost most of his best friends, including Bill McDugald, Jimmy Bannahan, Ed Blackburn, Doug Craig, George Hill, Pat Houstoun, Boss Merritt, David Park, Howard Park, Bill Powell, Ben Schnapp, Bob Shepherd, Jack Staub, and Gene Zimmerman. He is surely having a joyous reunion with them.
Friends are cordially invited to a reception to greet the family and share remembrances of Meade from half past four o’clock in the afternoon until half past six o’clock in the evening on Sunday, the 21st of January in the Salon Room at River Oaks Country Club, 1600 River Oaks Blvd in Houston.
Prior to the memorial service, the family will have gathered for a private graveside service at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.
The memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Monday, the 22nd of January, in the sanctuary of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 3471 Westheimer Road in Houston, where Dr. Tom Pace, Senior Pastor, is to officiate. Immediately following, guests are invited to greet the family and friends during a reception celebrating Meade’s life.
In lieu of customary remembrance, memorial contributions may be graciously directed to St. Luke’s United Methodist Church or the Brookwood Community, 1725 FM 1489, Brookshire, Texas 77423. Psalms 121:1, 2 1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.