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'Awesome Parents' Celebrate 50th Wedding Anniversary

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By BARBARA ROUTEN

Tribune correspondent

Published: August 20, 2008

BRANDON - James Walter and Barbara Ann Allison Wheeler of Brandon renewed their vows at a celebration of their golden wedding anniversary July 19 at the Tampa Baptist Deaf Church, where Walter is a deacon. The Rev. Ronaldo Feliciano officiated. They were joined by 160 friends and family members.

As part of the festivities, their granddaughter Gabrielle Tatro played harp "for hearing people," Barbara Wheeler said in an interview conducted after the festivities by writing questions and answers on paper. The guests of honor are both deaf.
Barbara Wheeler said they happily invited their granddaughter to perform at the ceremony.

"We wanted her to show her talent," she said.

Barbara, originally of Andrews, N.C., and Walter, of Spencer, Tenn., were high school sweethearts at the Tennessee School for the Deaf in Knoxville, Tenn. They were married in Knoxville "as soon as I graduated from TSD in 1958," Barbara said. "Walter graduated there in 1957."

They followed Walter's family to Auburndale, where he worked in the printing industry. They moved to Brandon in 1972 to join The Tampa Tribune's composing department. On April 30, 1999, both retired from The Tampa Tribune. Many of their former Tribune co-workers attended the anniversary gala.

The Wheelers' family includes three children: Chief Master Sgt. Paul Wheeler of Andrews Air Force Base, Md., who is married to retired Master Sgt. Maia Wheeler; Suzanne Gomez Branson of Luttrell, Tenn., who is married to Rick Branson; and Marcella Tatro of Casselberry, who is called Mary and is married to Dan Tatro.

The couple also has five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Paul and Maia's children, Trevor and Brittany Wheeler, have a daughter, Lily. Suzanne Branson has one son, Jose Gomez, whose father is Rolando Gomez of Valrico. "Rolando is still a big part of my parents' lives," Branson said. The Tatros' daughters are Danielle and Gabrielle.

The Wheelers are proud of their family. Paul Wheeler, who just returned from overseeing 8,000 troops in Iraq, has been awarded two Bronze Stars during 28 years in the Air Force. He joined the service after graduating from Brandon High School. Mary Tatro was Miss Brandon High School and homecoming queen before her graduation in 1986. Jose Gomez played professional soccer for the Virginia Beach Mariners and now is head coach of Palm Beach Atlantic University's men's soccer team.

Suzanne Branson described her mom and dad as "awesome parents that happened to be deaf. They taught us a strong work ethic. ... They were good disciplinarians and held us up to the highest standards morally, socially and academically."

"When we were children," she said, "we had special lighting in the house to let our parents know when someone rang the doorbell or if the telephone rang. ... If a baby was crying or a loud noise erupted, the lights went on in a certain pattern to differentiate the noises.

After the American Disabilities Act was passed in 1990, by using interpreters, video relay, text messaging, computers and other media, people with hearing impairments now have endless opportunities to communicate, she said.

The Wheelers use Sorenson Video Relay Service to communicate by phone and video screen. Their daughter said it is "an amazing service and makes communication so much easier for the deaf."

The calls are free, and it works like this: a hearing person calls an interpreter and speaks a message for a deaf person. The interpreter repeats that message in American Sign Language, which the deaf person sees on a computer screen. Then the deaf person signs back to the interpreter, who speaks that message to the hearing caller.

Branson said communication by sign language has always been second nature for the Wheeler siblings.

"The biggest influence on us was that all of their friends were deaf, so we went to deaf picnics, deaf conventions, deaf holiday parties, deaf church," she said. "We were always around other children who had deaf parents like us. American Sign Language was our first language as children, but we are all well versed in spoken English as well."

Barbara and Walter Wheeler will continue their anniversary celebration by traveling to Smuggler's Notch Resort in Vermont. They "travel bugs" who have visited all but eight mainland U.S. states, their daughter said. And they hope to visit all eight remaining states together, she said.

After 50 years of marriage, the Wheelers have some advice for those about to take their vows. Love and communication are vital, they said; so is going to church every Sunday. They said the secret to their long marriage is having faith in each other.

Disaster Relief Agency Gains Local Volunteer

Denise Ho of Brandon recently graduated from a training program offered by the ShelterBox Response Team disaster relief organization. Her ability to speak Spanish and Chinese, as well as her previous experience helping victims of Hurricane Katrina and the Sri Lanka tsunami, are valuable assets she brings to the ShelterBox organization, agency representatives said.

ShelterBox is based in Cornwall, England, and has a U.S. branch in Lakewood Ranch affiliated with the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch. The organization delivers 40-gallon plastic bins filled with survival equipment to disaster victims throughout the world. Supplies vary, depending on need, but usually include a 10-person tent, mosquito nets, cook stoves, water-purification kits, blankets, ponchos, activity kits for children and utensils for cooking and eating.

Ho, like all ShelterBox volunteers, had to apply and interview for the position, then attend a weekend of testing and undergo an intensive, nine-day training course. Graduates are always on call for deployment to disaster-stricken regions anywhere in the world.

For information, visit www.ShelterBoxUSA.org.

Brandon Writer Wins Award

Ruth Carmichael Ellinger of Brandon received the 2008 Writer of the Year award at the Florida Conference of the American Christian Writers July 11 in Orlando. She also won the award in 2006 at the Ohio conference.

"I wasn't expecting to win it for my adopted state of Florida," said Ellinger, whose Wildrose book series is set in Ohio.

Her third Wildrose novel, "Freedom Seeker," and a nonfiction book, "Women of the Secret Place," a compilation of inspiring tales, will be released in 2009.

Ellinger and Deborah M. Coty of Seffner will host the Hillsborough Inspirational Writers Workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 4 at Cross Creek Ranch, 12950 Wheeler Rd. E., Dover. Registration costs $75 before Sept. 1, $90 after that. Lunch and snacks are included in the registration fee.

For information or to register, contact Ellinger at (813) 685-7387 or writer@ruth ellinger.com.

Women Invited To Spiritual Respite

La Bella Vita, an Italian-themed gathering for women hosted by the Heart-to-Heart Women's Ministry of Bell Shoals Baptist Church, will be held from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Sept. 12 and 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 13 in the special events center at the church, 2102 Bell Shoals Rd., Brandon.

The event will begin with dinner and conversation Sept. 12, followed by a comedy video by Anita Renfroe, creator of "The Mom Song," a recap of everything a mother says in a day set to the tune of "The William Tell Overture."

On Sept. 13, women will be treated to coffee and workshops by women for women, such as Frazzled Females, The Purse-Driven Life, A Car Seat in My Convertible and Decorating Cents. Lunch will be provided.

Registration costs $25 per person. Child care is available with pre-paid registration. To register, call (813) 689-4229, ext. 482, or visit www.bell shoals.com and enter the keyword "gathering" in the box at the top right corner.

Center Place Names Honored Artists

Operators of Pat's Corner, the gift shop at Center Place Fine Arts and Civic Association at 619 Vonderburg Dr., have chosen Susan Weilbacher of Valrico Artist of the Month for August and Meletha Everett of Brandon Artist of the Month for September.

Gift shop hours are 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays.

For information, call (813) 689-0319.

Send news and photos of community interest to Barbara Routen at The Tampa Tribune, 505 W. Robertson St., Brandon FL 33511, e-mail neighbors@tampa bay.rr.com or call (813) 657-4531

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