Joyce Wheeler

Joyce Wheeler

Template:TOCnestleft Joyce Provost Wheeler died in 2019, age 78. She was s a Baltimore/Sequim Washington activist and is the wife of Tim Wheeler.

Activist life

The former Joyce Provost was born in Honolulu to Roland Francis Provost, a career noncommissioned Army officer, and his wife, Leatha Smith Provost, a schoolteacher.

She was reared in Orlando, Fla., Caldwell, Iowa, and Bickelton, Wash., and graduated in 1959 from St. Paul’s Girls School in Walla Walla, Wash.

While attending the University of Washington, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in 1963 in anthropology, she met and fell in love with her future husband, Tim Wheeler, after joining the Student Peace Union. They married in 1963.

Mrs. Wheeler, who later received a master’s degree from what is now Notre Dame of Maryland University, began teaching kindergarten in 1969 at Highlandtown Elementary School at Gough and Eaton streets after moving to Baltimore from Arlington, Va.

After a year, she joined the faculty of Grove Park Elementary School in Northwest Baltimore, where she used structured phonics to teach more than 1,000 children, mostly African American youngsters, to read, family members said. In 1999, a visiting science supervisor from city public schools headquarters was so impressed with Mrs. Wheeler’s teaching and classroom that she offered her the position of citywide elementary science curriculum specialist, a job she held until retiring in 2006.

Mrs. Wheeler had been an active member of the Baltimore Teachers Union, AFT Local 340, and had served as its treasurer for several years. During the 1975 teachers strike, she had been picket captain at Grove Park.

For 37 years, the couple’s home on Beaumont Avenue in Govans had been the setting for celebrations and elaborate New Year’s Eve parties, and a gathering point for those attending peace marches and social justice demonstrations in Washington.

In 2007, the couple moved to the Wheeler family farm in Sequim, where she “loved to garden in her front yard with the sweeping view of the Olympic Mountains in the distance,” her husband said.

She was an active member of the Clallam County Democratic Club and worked locally on President Barack Obama’s 2008 and 2012 campaigns, ringing doorbells, her husband said. In 2015, the club named Mrs. Wheeler and her family Democrats of the Year.

Mrs. Wheeler “celebrated,” her husband said, when two years ago the North Olympic Land Trust in Port Angeles, Wash., placed their 60-acre farm near the Dungeness River, which had originally been the Ward family farm and continually farmed since 1858, into a land conservancy. It had been in the Wheeler family since 1957, when Don Wheeler, her father-in-law, purchased it.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by two sons, Morgan Wheeler of Sequim and Donald Nicolas “Nick” Wheeler of Bainbridge Island, Wash.; a daughter, Susan Wheeler of Govans; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Young communists

Tim Wheeler May 12, 2016:

Hello all you Facebook friends, especially fellow alums of the W.E.B.DuBois Clubs. Maybe you can help me identify the other women sitting beside my beloved, Joyce, on the street in front of the Whitehall Induction Center in Manhattan Dec. 5, 1967. I know from far left, Lenore Weiss. I think it is Naomi (can't remember her last name) sitting with the sign "End the Draft NOW." The next person I know is Linda Dannenberg, exeutive director of the Student Mobilization Committee, with a sign in her lap that only the word "NOW" can be read. Beside her is Carmen Ristorucci looking over her shoulder. (It spoils an otherwise lovely photo because Carmen was an is one of the best). Then Joyce and an older woman with braided hair. I thought Ted Reich took this photo but the Tamiment Library has it catalogued as a photo by Bill Andrews. This photo is the main graphic in a chapter in my book titled "Joyce and Her Anti-Draft Sisters Are Arrested."

Supported Communist Party call

In May 1992 the Communist Party USA newspaper Peoples Weekly World published a May Day supplement which included a call to "support our continuing struggle for justice and dignity"

Endorsers of the call included Joyce Wheeler, AFT, Local 340.

Communist Party Labor Day call

The Communist Party USA paper People's Weekly World issued a statement to mark Labor Day 1995, entitled "We honor the dead and fight like hell for the living."

Of the more than 100 endorsers listed, almost all were identified members of the Communist Party USA.

Joyce Wheeler, AFT Baltimore, was on the list..

Birthday Greetings to William "Red" Davis

In December 1995 the Communist Party USA newspaper Peoples Weekly World published a page of 75th birthday greetings to William (Red) Davis - "Lifelong working class fighter and Communist"

In the fight for the unity and integrity of the Party in St. Louis, Missouri, in the post-war years, "Red" has been a rock of confidence and commitment to building the Communist Party.

Greetings were sent from Joyce Wheeler and Tim Wheeler of Maryland.

Washington State CP

In May 1995 The Communist Party USA newspaper Peoples Weekly World published a May Day supplement. Included was a page of greetings to Will Parry, sending "warmest greetings" for his 75th Birthday. Almost all of the more than 100 endorsers listed, were identified members or supporters of the Washington State Communist Party USA.

The list included Joyce Wheeler and Tim Wheeler.

Communist Party MLK tribute

On January 19, 2002, the Communist Party USA newspaper, Peoples Weekly World published a signed tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr..

We salute Dr. King’s courage and vision. He saw and struggled for an America and world that can be. We pledge in his memory to work to reorder our nation’s priorities “so that the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war.”

Signatories included, Joyce Provost Wheeler . Almost all signatories were confirmed members of the Communist Party USA.

Endorsed Communist Party Call

On March 30 2002 the Communist Party USA paper People’s Weekly World called for a national holiday in honor of late Farm Workers Union leader Cesar Chavez. The article was followed by a long list of endorsersincluding Joyce Wheeler, Almost all endorsers were confirmed members of the Communist Party USA.

Backing Barack in Baltimore

In early 2008 Tim Wheeler, his wife Joyce Wheeler and another Communist Party USA couple Jim Baldridge and Margaret Baldridge were all active members of Obama's Baltimore operation-organizing canvassing, phone banking and general campaign work. .

Campaigning for Patty Murray in Washington State

Tim Wheeler, center

In 2010, Tim Wheeler and Joyce Wheeler worked in Democratic Senator Patty Murray's campaign in Sequim, Washington State.

Tim Wheeler wrote in the Peoples World;

The highest profile election victory here Nov. 2 was the reelection of Sen. Patty Murray. She defeated Republican Dino Rossi by more than 100,000 votes.

I was asked to coordinate street-corner "waves" for Murray here in my hometown. We could tell Murray was doing well by the number of motorists, especially women, who honked and gave us the thumbs-up salute, far outnumbering the Republicans who gave us a sour look and the thumbs-down.

My wife Joyce and I spent one afternoon canvassing for Murray up on Bell Hill, where my family once owned a dairy farm. It is now crowded with luxury homes with panoramic views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Mount Baker.

One wealthy resident told me she had already mailed in her ballot, marked for Patty Murray, and was "praying for our country," that voters reject the lies of the rightwing demagogues. I told her that in my youth, I herded cows on what is now her front lawn...

Washington State voters helped put up a firewall against the ultra-right in reelecting Murray, blocking a GOP majority takeover of the Senate. Victory was won when the coalition of unions and other progressive organizations succeeded in getting out the vote.

Clallam County Democrats

The Clallam County Democratic Central Committee Quarterly Meeting, took place Jan. 5, 2013, Democratic Headquarters

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Matthew Randazzo in the party headquarters , Port Angeles.

More than 45 people attended.

Elected precinct committee officers present were Andrew Shogren, Pat Johansen, Derek Medina, Marcia Farrell, Roger Fight, Kim Bowlby, Earl Archer, Steve Tharinger, Pam Stinson, Chuck Hatten, Steve Markwell, Sylvia Hancock, Loren Kruetner, Norma Turner, Joe McGimpsey, Ed Grier, Dale Holiday, Hank Warren, Kris Grier, Katie Osorio, Cliff Tassie, Mike Doherty, Graham Hutchins, Scott Clausen, Doug Lewis and Matthew Randazzo.

Others attending included Patsy Feeley, Paula Doherty, Leroy Martin, Jay Garrett, Ron Johnson, Jr., Max Mania, Nina Richards, Ron Richards, Tim Wheeler, Joyce Wheeler, Honeybee Wheeler, Dan Duncan, Dottie Nicassio, Richard Jepson, Barbara Jepson, Paul Martin, Tanya Altstatt Menchaca and John Marrs.

Wheeler Clan

Tim Wheeler, October 24, 2015:

The Clallam County Democratic Party held its annual "Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt Dinner" last night at the S'Klallam Tribe's, Seven Cedars Casino in Blyn. The "Wheeler Clan" was honored as "Democrats of the Year." We were showered with congratulations including from former Washington Governor, Gary Locke, the guest of honor. Sylvia Hancock, a staunch, progressive Democrat, who had nominated us spoke to the crowd of about 200, hailing us for our energy and enthusiasm. The program booklet features a picture with the following words: "Clallam County Democrats are proud to announce the Wheeler Clan as the 2015 Democrats of the year."

It continues: "Tim and Joyce Wheeler, Steve Vausen and Carlyn Syvanen, and Honeybee Burns, affectionately known as the Wheeler Clan, are the 'gold-standard' doorbelling team in Clallam County! They have consistently gone above and beyond the call of duty to 'get out the vote' for Democratic candidates from local races to State, National and Presidential elections. Come rain or shine, heat or cold, or dark of night, the Wheeler Clan does not give up until the job is done!. Whether it is managing a booth at the Clallam County Fair, organizing and participating in a street corner "wave," bringing their positive enthusiasm and handmade signs to local parades, actively participating on the Executive Board or walking miles and miles to knock on yet another door, the Wheeler Clan is there, always with smiles and contagious enthusiasm for Progressive issues, causes and candidates." On behalf of the family, I thanked Sylvia and the Clallam Democrats. Thanks to Sylvia's leadership and the strong efforts of progressives in our county, President Obama carried Clallam County narrowly in both 2008 and 2012.

(I must hurry. We are going out right now to do doorbelling for Mark Ozias for Clallam County Commissioner). — with Steve Vause, Carlyn Syvanen, Joyce Wheeler and Honeybee Wheeler Burns.

Marching with communists

Tim Wheeler January 26, 2016:

With Morgan Wheeler, Joyce Wheeler, Margaret Baldridge and Theresa Reuter.

Backing Patty Murray

References

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