Merrilynn E. Wheeler

Merrilynn Edith (Brown) Wheeler, age 71, went home to be with our Lord on Wednesday, September 13, 2023. She had a massive brain hemorrhage, which rendered her unconscious within a few minutes. She never regained consciousness, and passed away about 19 hours later. Death is always difficult for those of us, who are left behind, but in her case it is a blessing that she didn’t languish with diminished mental faculties, and also because she accepted Jesus at the young age of 7, so we have the assurance that she is in a better place with no more pain or suffering.

The legacy of a person’s life is not their occupation or education, but rather the lives they touched. Before we were married, Merrilynn told me the story of a young boy named Robert, who lived in foster care and was one of her students. One day Robert arrived at school very upset because his foster family was not going to keep him, so he would be moving to a new foster family. He said Miss Brown, why doesn’t anybody love me to which Merrilynn replied, you are wrong because God loves you and I love you too. Robert replied, but you have to love me because you are my girl friend.

She never knew what happened to Robert after he was moved to a new home and a new school, but this experience lead her to the conviction that she didn’t want to give birth to her own child but instead wanted to care for children that are already here on this earth, and that she did. We adopted Rebekah from Korea, and later adopted our son Daniel from Thailand. But it didn’t stop there, we also sponsored children through Compassion International from all over the world, and she especially enjoyed corresponding with Jesus, Daniel, Honorine, Jeferson, Beverly, Diogo, Yulieth, Sakib, Ermiyas, Leidy, Ermiyas, Ajit, Artur, Jose, Ednaldo, Yancis, Elsy and Pedro, following each of their journeys though school, sports and their learning of the love of Jesus through the work of the staff at their local Compassion center.

I could tell you many more stories, like when she held the hand of a stranger who had a seizure in the park where we were picnicking with the family until the ambulance arrived, or how she reached out in love to her Muslim ESL students, to let them know that she would support them and not hold it against them if they missed classes because they were scared to be out in public following 9/11. In so many ways and with so many people she spread love and compassion to those she met, and this is her lasting legacy.

Merrilynn is survived by her husband, Paul W. Wheeler, her children; Daniel L. Wheeler and Rebekah A. wife of Wade Rohrbach, her grandchildren; Lucian and Sebastian, her sister; Joy C. wife of David A. Kern, her sister in law; Genevieve S. Brown and her niece and nephew; Jennifer M. Brown and Jacob B. Brown.

She is predeceased by her parents; Dr. Rev. George W. Brown Jr. and Edith Clara (Hyde) Brown and her brother; George W. Brown III.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, October 23, 2023 at Garden Spot Village Chapel, 433 S Kinzer Avenue, New Holland PA 17557 at 11:00AM. The family will receive friends for one hour prior to the time of service. A private interment will be held at Terre Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate it if you could give a gift in her honor to Compassion International https://www.compassion.com/ or even better, if you are able, check out the list of children waiting for a sponsors and select a child to love, correspond with, pray for and financially support to extend the legacy for many years to come.

Groff High Funeral Home in New Holland is entrusted with the funeral arrangements.