From Harford County Public Schools:
Harford County Public Schools Board President Leonard D. Wheeler, Ed.D., died suddenly on Tuesday, September 11, 2012.
Dr. Wheeler has served as a member of the Board of Education of Harford County since 2008. He began his second consecutive year as president of the Board earlier this summer. Dr. Wheeler was a retired teacher, curriculum specialist, principal and assistant superintendent of the Baltimore City Public Schools. He was also a retired associate professor in the Department of Education at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.
“Dr. Wheeler was an advocate for education and dedicated his life’s work to community service,” said Superintendent of Schools Robert M. Tomback. “All of us in the Harford County Public Schools are deeply saddened by the loss of Dr. Wheeler, and, on behalf of our more than 5,000 employees, I extend my sincere condolences to Dr. Wheeler’s family.”
In addition to his service as a member of the Board of Education of Harford County, Dr. Wheeler was an active member of Ames United Methodist Church, the Harford County Judicial Nominating Committee, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), among other public organizations, and he humbly accepted many civic, community, and professional awards and citations throughout his career.
“Dr. Wheeler was a kind-hearted, intelligent man who touched the lives of many through his selfless dedication to serving others,” said Board of Education Vice President Rick Grambo. “We became good friends, and I am going to miss him. He was a great mentor, and his service to our school system will be greatly missed.”
Dr. Wheeler was a man of extraordinary achievement whose dedication to students was evident in every decision he made. He cared deeply about every employee and had high expectations for both students and staff. He was highly respected and admired by his peers throughout the state of Maryland.
“I am deeply saddened by the news of the unfortunate passing of Dr. Leonard D. Wheeler,” said Harford County Executive David R. Craig. “Dr. Wheeler had a distinguished career as an educator and served with distinction and integrity as a member of the Board of Education. Dr. Wheeler worked tirelessly to help make Harford County Public Schools one of the finest school systems in our state.”
He leaves behind a son, Christopher Wheeler, and Dr. A. Barbara Wheeler, superintendent of Kent County Public Schools.
A public viewing will be Monday, September 17, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Ames United Methodist Church, 112 Baltimore Pike, Bel Air, Maryland. The funeral is the next day Tuesday, September 18, at 10:00 a.m. at the same location. Interment will be at Arbutus Memorial Park in Baltimore.
I am proud to say that Dr. Wheeler was a friend and mentor during my forty year career in the Baltimore City Public Schools. His door was always open and he always found time to talk with me about any number of subjects as I stopped by his desk at Headquarters on North Avenue (my desk was on the same floor as his.)
He was always upbeat and positive about our mission to serve the children of Biltmore and he was always certain that our careers were an important contribution to the community and, indeed, the state and country.
He will be sorely missed by all who knew him and Harford Public Schools will be bereft of a calm guiding hand.