Dean Wheeler started out life as "Mr. Jackson County for 1938", as the first baby born in the new year, January 1, 1938.  He was born in Martha, OK to Clyde and Norene Wheeler and passed away December 10, 2023, at the age of 85 years, 11 months and 9 days.

Dean was raised in Martha and was baptized in the Mountainview Baptist Church, where he won the Bible Drill Contest so frequently that he was able to give away many, many Bibles.  After graduating from Martha High School, he headed to Southwestern State College, where he graduated with a B.S. in math, physics, and chemistry in 1960.  More importantly, it was there that he and fellow student, Mabel Cason, fell madly in love.  They were married in June 1960 and soon after, packed up their first car and headed to the University of Pittsburg to pursue a master's degree in physics.  From there, Dean continued his pursuit of excellence at Cornell University with a Master of Science for Teachers in 1966 and then they moved back to Weatherford and Southwestern, Dean teaching in the physics department and, Mabel, first graduating, then working and teaching in the chemistry and math departments.  It was here they started their family with son Larry and just before the pursuit of his final degree, they added son Brett.  A brilliant scientist with a very clever mind, Dean was sought after and eventually ended up at the University of Illinois where he received a master's in physics in 1971 and in 1976 he received a PhD in High Energy Physics, working alongside some of the most important scientists in the world, and here they completed their family, adding daughter Deanna.  They moved from Champaign to Long Island, where Dean worked for the world-renowned Brookhaven National Laboratory before finally coming back home to Weatherford and Southwestern Oklahoma State University.  Here he found his true calling of teaching Computer Science, making his mark on the world and earning the respect of so many students, until his retirement in 1998.  Here in downtown Weatherford, Dean and Mabel are most notably remembered for starting up Hooked On Books in 1984, where it remains today.

Dean is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mabel, sons Larry, Brett and wife Amy, and Daughter Deanna Dye and husband Roman.  He is also survived by his siblings, brother Dale and wife Judy, sisters Doris Baker and husband Clarence, DeLois Chapman and husband Ralph, along with four granddaughters- Taryn, Jayden, Kaymi and Halley, and two grandsons - Dylan and Lennon and one great-grandson Brant. He was preceded in death by his parents.