Charles B. Wheeler, a doc and maverick politician who presided implicit 1 of the biggest nationalist gathering booms successful Kansas City history, died astatine Brookdale Senior Living Center successful Overland Park during the night. He was 96.
His decease was confirmed by household members and friends.
Wheeler was Kansas City politician for 2 terms, from 1971 to 1979, and was known arsenic a feisty, forceful, decisive person who projected a populist, people-oriented persona. During his tenure, Kansas City International Airport opened, and helium besides helped spearhead improvement of Kemper Arena, the Bartle Hall normal halfway and the University of Missouri-Kansas City aesculapian schoolhouse astatine Hospital Hill.
In a July 2019 interrogation with KCUR, Wheeler said the item of his mayoral vocation was bringing the 1976 Republican National Convention to Kansas City.
“The Republican National Convention was decidedly the infinitesimal that Kansas City was launched similar it hadn’t been for years — good since Truman, that is the comparison,” Wheeler said. “The media loved it. We were the media halfway of America.”
Wheeler said Kansas City had hosted a Democratic mid-term normal successful 1974 that was truthful palmy it persuaded the Republicans to big their statesmanlike normal successful Kansas City 2 years later. Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford competed for delegate voters. Ford yet won retired and chose Kansan Bob Dole arsenic his moving mate.
Wheeler said different milestone successful his beingness was helping to transportation the authorities legislature and authorities officials to found a caller aesculapian schoolhouse successful Kansas City.
“I loved processing Hospital Hill,” Wheeler recalled. “We needed a schoolhouse similar they had successful Columbia and St. Louis. We were getting shortchanged by the authorities of Missouri.”
Construction of the aesculapian schoolhouse began successful 1972 connected onshore contributed by Kansas City. The groundbreaking for the adjacent Truman Medical Center came successful 1973.
Charles B. Wheeler was calved successful Kansas City connected Aug. 10, 1926, and graduated from Westport High School successful 1942.
After graduating from aesculapian schoolhouse astatine the University of Kansas, Wheeler served arsenic a formation surgeon successful the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War.
He spent overmuch of his aboriginal vocation arsenic a forensic pathologist, founded Wheeler Medical Laboratories successful 1963 and taught astatine KU Medical School and the UMKC School of Medicine.
His nationalist work vocation began erstwhile helium became Jackson County coroner successful 1965. He served until January 1967, erstwhile helium was elected arsenic justice of the Western District of Jackson County, serving 2 presumption until January 1971. He ran for presiding justice successful 1970, but aft losing to George Lehr successful the August Democratic primary, helium decided to tally for the unfastened Kansas City mayoral spot successful 1971.
“The nighttime helium (Lehr) whipped maine I announced I was going to tally for politician due to the fact that I was retired of work,” Wheeler recalled successful his KCUR interview.
Wheeler defeated Dutton Brookfield for politician successful the March 30, 1971, predetermination and assumed bureau connected May 1, 1971. He was elected to a 2nd word successful 1975.
Wheeler described the metropolis during that clip arsenic a “beehive of activity,” with the opening of KCI successful 1972, the opening of Kemper Arena successful 1974 and the completion of the Bartle Hall normal and accumulation abstraction successful 1976. During the 1970s, the metropolis besides saw the improvement of Worlds of Fun, Crown Center and the Truman Sports Complex.
A 2002 nonfiction successful Ingram’s mag observed, “Many respect this arsenic the past aureate property of Kansas City.”
One different important taste lawsuit helped enactment Kansas City connected the representation portion Wheeler was mayor. In October 1978, the internationally-renowned creator Christo created a 2.5-mile agelong portion of creation entitled “Wrapped Walk Ways” successful Loose Park. The installation remained successful spot for astir 2 weeks and Wheeler presented Christo and his spouse Jeanne-Claude with the cardinal to the city.
Wheeler ran for a 3rd word successful 1979, but friction with the firefighters’ national and the public’s tendency for alteration aft 8 years led voters successful a antithetic direction. He was defeated by the antheral who had been his second-in-command connected the metropolis council, Mayor Pro Tem Dick Berkley. Wheeler ran against Berkley successful 1983 but lost. But helium bore nary grudges and said that helium and Berkley remained friends for decades.
After leaving the mayor’s office, Wheeler devoted his clip to moving his pathology laboratory, but helium ne'er mislaid his passionateness for politics. He ran for the Missouri 10th District Senate spot and won, serving 1 word from 2003 to 2007. He did not question re-election and was succeeded by Jolie Justus.
Justus said Wheeler vigorously represented Kansas City portion successful the authorities legislature, and helium encouraged her to person the assurance to bash the same.
“I deliberation the large happening that Sen. Wheeler said to maine was conscionable to truly talk my mind, to not beryllium quiet,” Justus said. “The different happening helium was ever adamant astir was conscionable making definite that you are the smartest idiosyncratic successful the room. And he, I think, ever was the smartest idiosyncratic successful the room.”
Mike Burke, a Kansas City lawyer who besides served connected the metropolis assembly and ran against Wheeler successful the contention for politician successful 2011, says Wheeler infused everything helium did with humor, quality and a emotion for his hometown.
“He loved devoting his beingness to nationalist service,” Burke said. “He genuinely was a antheral for each seasons due to the fact that helium had a precise inquisitive mind, and it was ever searching for thing caller and exciting.”
At the property of 79 successful 2006, helium ran for Jackson County Executive and was defeated by Mike Sanders. He ran for Missouri State Treasurer successful 2008 and, astatine the property of 89, for Missouri politician successful 2016. He placed 3rd successful the Democratic primary.
“Anybody who dabbles successful authorities walks distant astir of the clip due to the fact that it’s specified hard work,” Wheeler told KCUR. “I personally thrive connected that and I loved it.”
He said helium loved being retired and astir successful the community, and campaigning.
“I person recovered that gathering radical is the happening that keeps maine young,” helium said erstwhile helium was 93, telling friends helium was contemplating moving for president.
Wheeler was delighted successful aboriginal July 2019 to articulation the crowds of radical watching the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and different subject acrobatic performances astatine Kansas City’s downtown airport, which bears his name.
“I had a shot erstwhile we had those aerial shows astatine Wheeler Airport this past week,” helium said. “I was determination each 3 days. I’m an aged Navy man.”
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