Obituaries

Reta K. Wheeler

Reta K. Wheeler, 60, of Warrensburg, died April 20 at Western Missouri Medical Center.

Funeral services were held 3 p.m. on Friday at Sweeney-Phillips & Holdren Funeral Home with Reverend Morris Collins officiating. Interment followed in Sunset Hill Cemetery.

The family received friends from 2 p.m. until service time Friday at the funeral home.

She was born February 16, 1959 in Warrensburg, the daughter of Ellsworth Lester and Jeanetta Mae (Reed) Collins.

On September 15, 2002, she and Jonathan Wheeler were united in marriage in Warrensburg.

Reta enjoyed playing bingo, gardening, fishing and hunting. She loved spending time with her grandson, RG. Reta was the first and only African American woman in Warrensburg to own and ride a motorcycle. She loved spending time with her siblings and their families.

She had a special love for animals. Her two Yorkies, Ziggy and Sally, will miss her dearly. She loved taking pictures of beautiful sunsets and posting them to Facebook. She also loved riding horses and always looked forward to riding in the UCM Homecoming Parade.

Reta is survived by her husband, Jonathan; her children, Christopher (Angela) Collins of Clarksville, TN, and Marcerita Collins and husband, Royce Wilson, of Holden; a step-daughter, Vanessa Wheeler of Kansas City, Missouri; her siblings, Anita V. McGhee of Warner Robins, Georgia, Sandra Avery of Warrensburg, Chester Collins of Concordia, Missourui, her twin brother Robert Collins of Warrensburg, Etta Collins-Baker of Warrensburg, and Anthony Collins and wife Janet Baker of Warrensburg; a sister, Wanda (Johnny) Smith of Richmond VA; her grandchildren, Wynter Bennett, Hayley Collins, Chris Collins, Ryleigh Collins, and Royce Wilson III; her aunts, Mary Coppage, Baby Lou Collins, Lucy Johnson, and Nadine Williams; her sisters-in-law, Samantha Wheeler and Candylin Pemberton; brother-in-law Billy Wheeler; and mother-in-law Carolryn Wheeler. She is also survived by a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Reta Wheeler Memorial Fund with checks made payable to Jonathan Wheeler.

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