Richard A. (Andy) Wheeler

Born July 22, 1943, in Shamokin, PA, Richard Andrew (Andy) Wheeler was the son of the late Richard Anthony Wheeler and Monica Bernadette Wheeler. He died peacefully at home on February 23, 2025, of heart failure. Surviving is his wife of 47 years Helen L. Wheeler, two brothers James and Michael; three daughters; Leslie Wagner, Robin Goodman and Laura Akbar and five grandchildren; Laurence "Laurie", Annabel, Sophia, Madison and Quinn.

Andy was a member of Saint Joseph Catholic church, Mechanicsburg; The United States Submarine Veterans Inc; The Knights of Columbus; The American Legion 109; the Mechanicsburg Club; and the West Shore Elks.

All are welcome to join Andy’s family at his gathering of family and friends on Friday, March 7, 2025, from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. with his Mass of Christian Burial beginning at 11:00 a.m. all at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mechanicsburg, 400 E Simpson Street, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055; with Father Matthew G. Smith celebrating. Andy’s family invites everyone to join them for a time of food and fellowship at Buhrig’s Gathering Place, 25 East Main Street, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055, (717) 766-3421 (next to Buhrig Funeral & Cremation) immediately following the service. Cremation was private.

He will be interred at Ft. Indiantown Gap National Cemetery on April 3, 2025, 2:30 p.m. 

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that you consider a charitable donation to the Wounded Warrior Project. 

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Richard A. (Andy) Wheeler joined the Navy's Nuclear Program at age seventeen immediately after graduation with honors from Shamokin High School (1961) Shamokin, Pennsylvania. He received recruit training at Great Lakes, Illinois where he was singled out of his class of 1280 to receive the "American Spirit of Honor Medal for Honor, Initiative, Loyalty and High Example to Comrades in Arms". He served seven years in the Polaris Fleet Ballistic Missile Nuclear Submarine Force where he completed three plus years of Navy technical schools. He also made seven nuclear deterrent submarine patrols aboard the nuclear submarine USS Henry Clay SSB(N)625. He "Qualified in Submarines ' aboard the Clay and also qualified as "Missile Control Center Supervisor". Andy completed active duty service in 1968. He held a top secret security clearance. He joined the Naval Reserve and continued to serve participating in annual NATO operations involving submarines at Sub-Atlantic HQ , Norfolk, VA. Andy retired from the Navy's Submarine Force in July 1982

 Following his active duty Navy service, Andy spent 35 years working for engineering firms. In July 1968 he joined the Vitro Laboratories Engineering Group headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland. While at Vitro he participated in the design and servicing of submarine weapons systems including the Poseidon missile system. He was promoted to lead the electrical design group. He also continued his education at Montgomery College and the University of Maryland.

In April 1973 Andy joined Bechtel Power Corporation, Gaithersburg, Maryland where he spent 30 years designing, building, commissioning, operating and later developing, selling and managing nuclear and fossil fueled power generation projects worldwide. Andy certified professionally as a level III Nuclear Startup Engineer under the Federal Code. Level III being the highest qualification, he was certified to write policy and test procedures and to approve results. He held this qualification on both pressured water reactors (PWR's) and on boiling water reactors (BWR's).

 Andy progressed through the engineering ranks at Bechtel and became the Chief Startup Engineer. He later became the Manager of Startup and Operating Services for all Bechtel Companies. As Bechtel's Chief Startup Engineer he managed over 600 engineers performing startup and commissioning activities on 52 nuclear and fossil fueled Power Generation Stations worldwide.

 Andy completed the Bechtel Executive Program at Stanford University where he studied project risk assessment. Promoting to the executive ranks of Bechtel as a Project Manager, he participated in the development and management of power generation projects in the US and abroad. These projects generally ranged in cost from $400 million to $5 billion dollars. Andy's assignments involved significant global travel. He was also the first Program Manager for the design and execution of Bechtel's 'Power Line" series of Gas Turbine Combined cycle and Coal fired generation stations. He completed his Bechtel career in 2003 as Manager of Power Generation projects for the country of Brazil.

Andy also had a significant resume of dedicated public service in Education and Veteran Affairs. He chaired the Citizens Advisory Committee for Engineering Curriculum at Montgomery College in Montgomery County Maryland for 20 years and was a member of the Montgomery College Foundation Board. He raised many thousands of dollars for the college and chaired several of their most important initiatives. He delivered ME's 50th anniversary commencement address. The atriums of the Gudelsky Institute for Technical Education at the Rockville campus and the High Technology Engineering Center at the Germantown campus carry his name. He has been recognized by two Maryland Governors for outstanding citizenship.

 As a member of the United States Submarine Veterans, Capitol Base, Washington, D.C. he raised thousands of dollars to erect housing for patient families at Walter Reed and The Navy National Hospital in Washington D.C. and Bethesda, MD respectively. In Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, Andy served on Silver Spring Township's Veterans Advisory Committee where he participated in the fund raising and building of the Veterans Memorial at Willow Mill Park.

 Andy credited his successful career to the excellence of the US Navy's Nuclear Program including Submarine Qualification. He also credits his success to the support he received from his wonderful life partner and the love of his life, Helen. He often stated that she was the kindest person he had ever known. They raised three daughters; Leslie, Robin and Laura. Andy especially relished time spent with their five beautiful and talented grandchildren, Laurie "Chloe", Annabel, Madison, Quinn and Sophia. Andy enjoyed public service projects including veteran affairs. His hobbies included sailing, wood working and skeet & trap shooting sports.