Burleigh Ray Wheeler was born on September 8, 1939, to John Wesley and Neva Lila (Burrow) Wheeler in Vista, MO. He passed away at Parkview Healthcare Facility in Bolivar, MO, after a brief illness, taking with him buyers cards, a pen, and a blank check to buy cattle. He was born and raised in the Osceola area, graduating from Osceola High School in 1957. At an early age, Burleigh was saved and baptized at Vista Baptist Church. On March 3, 1961, he was united in marriage to Doris Wisner. To this union, 5 children were born.
He grew up raising and showing Chester White hogs. He started hauling and trading cattle, and as he got older, he rented land and ran cattle across many counties before he opened a cattle buying station at his home in the early 80s. In 1989, he opened Wheeler and Sons Livestock Auction at the former Pasley Auction Company, and in 1994, he and Doris built what would become the area’s premiere livestock auction, located just off 13 Highway.
From hauling cattle to the Springfield and Kansas City Stockyards in a straight truck with his kids, friends, other farmers, or employees, Burleigh enjoyed being with people and was happy to share his work ethic and agricultural knowledge with many young people he employed throughout his life.
When his children were young, he enjoyed spending weekends taking them and their horses to horse shows and rodeos. Burleigh had an eye for a good horse and always made sure his kids had the best horses. His kids never had the most expensive horses, but they were always well mounted to not only compete but also work. The horses were never just rodeo or show horses; they were working tools. Burleigh prided himself on being able to catch cattle that no one else could catch with horses and Catahoula dogs. He also loved coon hunting, coon dogs, and pheasant hunting and enjoyed sharing that with his children and grandkids.
After his children were grown and the sale barn was more established, Burleigh and Doris enjoyed traveling the country buying and selling cattle, where they made many lifelong friendships. He most enjoyed visiting sale barns in Dodge City, Kansas; Harrison, Arkansas; Faith and Phillip, South Dakota; and Ogallala, Nebraska, where he met many like-minded cattlemen that he maintained close contact with until his death. Burleigh was well known for establishing and maintaining the best stock cow sale in the Midwest, a legacy he prided himself on and carried into his retirement.
In his retirement, he enjoyed spending time at the sale barn on Thursdays and Saturdays and maintaining relationships with customers and friends. He also enjoyed seeing and spending time with all of his grandkids and great-grandkids and supporting them.
Burleigh is survived by his wife, Doris, and five children: Rhonda (Larry) Shelby, Karla (Tom) Waters, Donna (Brett) Shelby, Byron (Angela) Wheeler, and Steve (Kim) Wheeler; 14 grandkids, 23 great-grandkids, and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents, John Wesley and Neva Lila Wheeler; sisters Zada Brown, Artalee Harris, Betty June Wheeler (in infancy), Bonny Gardner; and brother Tom Wheeler.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions be made to Land-O-Lakes Youth Fair Grounds in care of Sheldon-Goodrich Funeral Home: P.O. Box 384 Osceola, Missouri 64776.
10 Condolences for Burleigh Ray Wheeler
Condolences(10)
Larry and Donna Lutes says
February 12, 2026 at 2:07 pmDoris and family, we are so sorry to learn of Burleigh’s passing. He was a special individual and a good business and family man. It is difficult to find all the words to describe all the good things about him over his 87 years on this earth. May God bless you all during this trying time. Love you all,
Debby Van Winkle says
February 12, 2026 at 2:34 pmDoris and family so sorry to hear of the passing of Burleigh! Cherish your memories! Hugs and prayers!
Gladys Smith says
February 12, 2026 at 5:26 pmI am so sorry to hear that….my prayers and sincere condolences to all of you..
MaryAnn Semkin says
February 12, 2026 at 9:44 pmWheeler family we are so sorry for your loss. Many great memories. We will hold you close in our prayers. MaryAnn (Breshears)Semkin and family
Danny G Shoemaker says
February 13, 2026 at 7:50 amSo sorry for your loss. He will be missed. Great guy. Prayers be with the whole family. Danny and Cindy Shoemaker
David Garcia says
February 13, 2026 at 4:22 pmSo sorry to hear that Burleigh passed.
He was a great guy. I always enjoyed visiting with him.
We will be keeping your family in our thoughts and prayers.
God Bless you!
David and Debbie Garcia
Judy and Keith Calhoun says
February 13, 2026 at 6:03 pmDoris and family,
My heart breaks for all of you right now. I hope you will find comfort in the words, thoughts, and prayers that your many friends, (including me), will offer. I also hope that the memories of good times spent together will lift your spirits and lighten your hearts. Maybe even this memory from me will give you cause for a smile. It showed me a side of Burleigh that I never forgot. The kindness to make sure we were all okay always remained at the forefront of my thoughts of him.
This happened when Rhonda, Karla, my sister Donita, and me, were kids. We lived 7 or 8 miles apart, but it didn’t stop us from saddling our horses and striking out to meet up with each other on some county road somewhere. We would ride for hours and miles just talking and laughing like young girls and sisters do! We knew lots of backroads, short cuts, and trails that we could ride and never see another soul. In those days no one really worried about where we were or what we were doing. We were just simply a bunch of friends out riding! We never bothered anybody or did any damage, but we had lots of fun. I have memories of watering the horses in Coon Creek, riding by abandoned places that we were certain were haunted and even riding to the old Rainy store! Those were fun times, but one time stands out above the others. We had been gone most of the day and it was getting late; in fact, it was almost dark! We had split up somewhere around the junction of what is now SE 450 Rd and WW. Rhonda and Karla headed north, and my sister and me headed south to reach home. We were loping periodically, hoping to avoid too much time in the dark, when we heard the clatter of a pickup and trailer coming up behind us. It was Burleigh. I didn’t know whether we should be happy or cry, but he stopped the pickup and got out. He said, “You girls are out a little late aren’t you?” I think we were too scared to say much for fear we were in trouble, so we just nodded and he told us to load our horses and he would take us the rest of the way home. He had come out looking for us, (this was LONG before cell phones!), and had picked up Rhonda and Karla and their horses somewhere on WW. He could have just as easily turned around and took them home, never giving us a second thought, but instead he came looking for us too. He made sure we got home safe. I remember my dad standing in the driveway thanking him. I don’t remember any of us getting in much trouble over it, but I am certain we never stayed out that long again!
It is a good memory and one I cherish, along with the encouragement he gave me when I was competing at horse shows. I am sure many memories will be shared with you in the coming days, by all the friends, neighbors, and family who will miss him. Know you are being lifted up in prayer and please accept deepest sympathy from Keith and I in this time of loss.
Respectfully,
Judy (Mitchell) and Keith Calhoun, Fritch, Texas
David Woody says
February 13, 2026 at 7:27 pmMr. Burleigh Ray Wheeler…a man of impeccable determination and a life well lived with true grit, honor, and integrity. God bless all of the Wheeler family in this time of sorrow.
Christopher, Nicholas, Christy, David Woody family.
Curtis. Hays says
February 15, 2026 at 9:46 amSorry for your loss. He was definitely a great man
He will be greatly missed by the whole community
Prayers for the families. Curtis and the Hays families
Tina Leiber says
February 16, 2026 at 10:57 amSo very sorry to hear of Burleigh’s passing. Praying for your family.
Tina and JR Leiber
All Rights Reserved