Facts

Born: June 20, 1954
Place of Birth: Seaford, DE
Death: May 24, 2008
Place of Death: Easton, MD
Hobbies: Motorcycles, Music, Softball, Woodworking

Memorial Donations

Memorial donations can be made to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital Cancer Center, 801 Middleford Road, Seaford, DE 19973

Biography

Joseph R. Wheatley, Jr., age 53, of Bridgeville, Delaware died Saturday, May 24, 2008, in Easton, MD as a result of a motorcycle accident. His companion, Linda Marie Shea, also died in the accident. Mr. Wheatley was born in Seaford, Delaware on June 20, 1954, son of Joseph R. Wheatley, Sr. and the late Marilda West Wheatley.

Mr. Wheatley was employed by Bennett Premiere Motor Sports, formerly known as Harley Davidson of Seaford since 2003. He became a part of the Harley family in every way. His skills as a craftsman, his ability to organize, and his special attention to design and detail permitted him to help the organization immensly at many levels. He was a former member of the Bridgeville Volunteer Fire Department and attended Union United Methodist Church. He had played outfield in the Modified Softball League. He loved music and working with his hands especially with wood. He loved attending his daughter's college field hockey games.

In addition to his father he is survived by his daughter Lindsay Jo Wheatley and her fiance Ryan Petrone of Georgetown, DE; two sisters, Sharon W. Hawk and husband, Charles and Joanne W. Jones and husband, Jerry, all of Bridgeville, DE; nieces and nephews Karen Pusey, Kristen Hatfield and husband Shawn, Brian Jones and fiancee Ruthy Fedale, Jill Jackson and husband Aaron, great neices and nephews, Megan and Lauren Correll, Taylor Hatfield, Tyler and Trey Hatfield; Uncle Kenneth P. West, Georgetown, DE; and other family of Aunts, Uncles, Cousins Extended Family.

In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Ralph and Leona Wheatley and his maternal grandparents, Paul and Nona West.

Funeral services will be held on Friday May 30, 2008 at 2:00 P.M. at the Union United Methodist Church, Market and Laws Streets, Bridgeville, DE where the family will receive friends on Thursday, May 29, 6-9 P.M. and on Friday, 1-2 PM. Interment will be at Bridgeville Cemetery. Pastor Dale Brown will officiate.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital Cancer Center, 801 Middleford Road, Seaford, DE 19973.

Send online condolences to: condolences@parsellfuneralhomes.com

Friends May Call

Thu. May 29, 2008 , 6 PM - 9 PM at Union United Methodist Church
Click for Map and Directions

Friends May Call

Fri. May 30, 2008 , 1 PM - 2 PM at Union United Methodist Church
Click for Map and Directions

Funeral Services

Fri. May 30, 2008 , 2 PM - 3 PM at Union United Methodist Church
Click for Map and Directions

Interment

Fri. May 30, 2008 at Bridgeville Cemetery
Click for Map and Directions

Wheatley Jr., Joseph R.

Joseph R. Wheatley Jr., 53

BRIDGEVILLE - Joseph R. Wheatley Jr., of Bridgeville, died Saturday, May 24, 2008, in Easton, Md., as a result of a motorcycle accident. He was 53.

His companion, Linda Marie Shea, also died in the accident.

Mr. Wheatley was born in Seaford on June 20, 1954, son of Joseph R. Wheatley Sr. and the late Marilda West Wheatley.

Mr. Wheatley was employed by Bennett Premiere Motor Sports, formerly known as Harley-Davidson of Seaford, since 2003.

He became a part of the Harley family in every way. His skills as a craftsman, his ability to organize, and his special attention to design and detail permitted him to help the organization immensly at many levels.

Mr. Wheatley was a former member of the Bridgeville Volunteer Fire Department and attended Union United Methodist Church.

He had played outfield in the Modified Softball League.

He loved music and working with his hands, especially with wood.

He loved attending his daughter's college field hockey games.

In addition to his father he is survived by his daughter, Lindsay Jo Wheatley and her fiance Ryan Petrone of Georgetown; two sisters, Sharon W. Hawk and husband Charles and Joanne W. Jones and husband Jerry, all of Bridgeville; nieces and nephews, Karen Pusey, Kristen Hatfield and husband Shawn, Brian Jones and fiancee Ruthy Fedale, Jill Jackson and husband Aaron; and great-neices and nephews, Megan and Lauren Correll, Taylor Hatfield, Tyler and Trey Hatfield.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in the Union United Methodist Church, Market and Laws streets, Bridgeville, where the family will receive friends from 6-9 p.m. Thursday and from 1-2 p.m. Friday.

Interment will be at Bridgeville Cemetery.

Pastor Dale Brown will officiate.

Instead of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital Cancer Center, 801 Middleford Road, Seaford, DE 19973.

Published in the NewsZapDE on 5/28/2008.

05/26/2008 8:33 AM ET

EASTON, Md.- Police say two people were killed after the motorcycle they were riding collided with a truck in Easton over the weekend.

Maryland State Police say the crash occurred Saturday at around 3:32 p.m. on eastbound Route 328 (Matthewstown Road) at Gannon Circle.

According to police, an investigation revealed that a a Harley Davidson motorcycle was traveling behind a large SUV on eastbound on Route 328 nearing Gannon Circle. The SUV entered the right turn lane to turn on to Gannon Circle. Police say that meantime, a green Chevrolet Suburban sitting at the stop sign on Gannon Circle attempted to turn west onto Route 328 while the SUV was turning onto Gannon Circle.

According to police, the Suburban, driven by 43-year-old Catherine Irene Marshall of Easton,
pulled into the path of the motorcycle and stopped in the lane of travel. Police say the motorcycle attempted to avoid the Suburban, as could be seen by the skid marks and gouge marks in the roadway left by the driver laying the motorcycle down. The motorcycle struck the front of the Suburban and both the motorcycle operator and passenger were ejected. The motorcycle's passenger, 45-year-old Linda Marie Shea, of Bridgeville, Del., was partially trapped beneath the Suburban when EMS arrived. Shea was taken to Easton Memorial Hospital where she died a short time later.

The operator of the motorcycle, Joseph R. Wheatley Jr., was taken by police helicopter to Shock Trauma in Baltimore where he died during surgery.

Route 328 was closed for several hours while police investigated the incident.

Police say charges are pending as a result of the crash.

(From WBOC.com)

Motorcycle struck on Matthewstown Road

Published: Monday, May 26, 2008 10:03 AM CDT

Three people were hurt, with one being flown to a hospital, following an accident between an SUV and a motorcycle Saturday afternoon. According to witnesses at the scene, at approximately 3:40 p.m., a Chevrolet SUV driven by Cathy Marshall of Easton was on Gannon Circle in the Crofton development and attempted to pull onto Mathewstown Road (state Route 328) when it struck a motorcycle heading eastbound with a man and a woman on board. Their names were not available at press time. The woman on the motorcycle was reportedly taken for treatment via Maryland State Police helicopter Trooper 6. The man and Marshall were taken by ambulance to the Memorial Hospital at Easton. Neighbors who live near the intersection said Marshall was trying to see past a blind spot at the intersection when the motorcycle was struck. Traffic on Mathewstown Road was blocked between Elliott Road and Black Dog Alley as rescue personnel worked. Along with the state police, the Easton police, volunteer fire departments, Talbot County emergency medical services and the sheriff’s office responded to the accident. (from the Easton Star Democrat)