Dr. Richard Dick Lee Wheeden MD
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Dr. Richard (Dick) Lee Wheeden, 79, died on April 9, 2020 in a tragic accident. He was struck by a tree that felled by high winds in St. Michaels, Maryland, while out for his daily walk.
Born on November 29, 1940 in Baltimore, Maryland to Lee and Ruth Wheeden, Dick graduated high school from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in three years. He earned his B.S. in Mathematics from Johns Hopkins University and both his master's degree and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. The Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ offered Dr. Wheeden a year with globally renowned mathematicians. In 1967, he accepted a tenure track position at Rutgers University. He spent the next 50 years teaching and conducting research there, retiring in 2016 to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, with the title of Distinguished Professor Emeritus.
Dick met his life-long love, Sharon Lee McGlasson, when they were only 14 years old. They married in 1962 and were the parents of two children, Mike and Abbie and the proud grandparents of five grandchildren.
He is survived by Sharon, his son Michael (Kristen) of Bethesda, MD, and daughter Abbie (Bill) McCauley of Tallmadge, OH. He was a loving grandfather to Cameron, Zachary, and Brady Wheeden and to Amelia and Benjamin McCauley. He is also survived by his sister Carolyn (Ernie) Ilgenfritz of Easton, MD and many extended family and close friends.
While Sharon was his great love, math was the other. During his brief retirement, Dick continued his research in mathematics, resulting in many published papers. He was active in the Home Owners Association and volunteered on several projects to maintain the quality and beauty of the historic Perry Cabin homes. He was a member of the Wye Fellows of the Aspen Institute, where he enjoyed many inspirational talks and concerts. Dick loved his family, being outdoors, eating crabs, and doing math.
He is remembered for his intellect, humility, and his kind, gentle soul. He was loved and will be deeply missed. A celebration of life will be held at a later date, when the world is a safer place and we can gather together. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations in his honor to The American Porphyria Foundation (www.porphyriafoundation.org.)