Billy Edd Wheeler, aged 91, passed away on September 16, 2024. He was the son of Dutch Perdue and Mary Isabelle Wheeler Stewart. He survived by his wife Mary Bannerman Wheeler, his children Lucy and Travis Wheeler, and his brother Robert Stewart. Born in Whitesville, West Virginia, Mr. Wheeler traveled to North Carolina at the age of 16 to attend school at the recommendation of a Presbyterian missionary, and he would go on to graduate from the high school division of Warren Wilson College in 1951.

Mr. Wheeler was a man of many talents: a Navy student pilot, the alumni director at Berea College, and a major in playwriting at the Yale School of Drama. Encouraged by Pulitzer Prize winner Thornton Wilder to attend Yale, Wheeler went on to have a rich and diverse artistic career spanning many disciplines. He learned to paint while at Warren Wilson College. His art was displayed at locations including the Blue Spiral Gallery in Asheville and the Red House Gallery in Black Mountain, as well as at his alma mater, Berea College.

Beyond painting, Wheeler was also a talented woodworker, sculptor, and writer, penning plays, musicals, poetry, novels, memoirs, and even songs. Some of his most successful works included long-running plays like Hatfields & McCoys, Young Abe Lincoln, and Johnny Appleseed. His creativity even extended to humor, with six of his books dedicated to the genre. His songs, however, have gained the most recognition, recorded by renowned artists such as The Kingston Trio, Judy Collins, Kenny Rogers, and Elvis Presley, who recorded two of Wheeler’s songs on the Billboard Chart-topping album, Promised Land. Over his career, Wheeler’s songs sold over 58 million units.

As a testament to his remarkable career, Wheeler earned numerous awards and accolades, including 13 awards from The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), inductee into the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, and recipient of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest award.

In his personal life, Wheeler was known for his love of family and friends, often spending time walking, fishing, playing tennis and golf, and impersonating Elvis with his best friends. He was adored by his dogs, Bubbie, Gracie Pearl, and Sheba. His family are immensely thankful to CarePartners Hospice for their loving care in the final months of Mr. Wheeler’s life.

In conclusion, Billy Edd Wheeler will be dearly missed and leaves behind a lasting legacy in the form of his songs, plays, books, and artwork. His generosity, creativity, and zest for life shall be remembered by all who knew him.