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.