Wheaton W. Mies 1916-2006

Wheaton W. Mies, 90, a resident of Alexian Village, Signal Mountain, died on Monday, August 7, 2006. Wheaton was born on the Mies Homestead, Saunemin Township, Livingston County, Illinois, on January 17, 1916. He was the son of the late Elsie W. and Henry J. Mies and grew up with his three sisters in Pontiac, Illinois.

Wheaton had a life-long passion for aviation and piloted a wide variety of aircraft from 1937 to 1970. He attended the University of Illinois and graduated from Parks College of Aeronautics at Saint Louis University in 1937. For much of his career, he was an executive with Northeast Airlines, based in Boston, Massachusetts, where he was promoted to vice president in
1964. During World War II, he also served in the Air Transport Command flying supplies across the North Atlantic. After retiring from Northeast Airlines in 1971, he consulted for several airlines and aircraft manufacturers, including Shorts Aircraft Company, in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Wheaton married Catherine, his wife of 57 years, in 1945, in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. They raised their three children in Winthrop and Hamilton, Massachusetts. After retirement in 1980, they traveled extensively before settling several years in Lenoir, North Carolina. They moved to Signal Mountain in 1995.

Wheaton was preceded in death by his wife, Catherine, and by two sisters, Henrietta Babb and Helen Schilf.

Survivors include a sister, Jeanette Bixler, Richland, Washington; his children, Henry Mies, New Port Richey, Florida, Mellinda Curis, Fleetville, Pennsylvania, and Jonathan Mies, Signal Mountain; and six grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 am on Friday, August 11, at the Alexian Village Chapel on Signal Mountain.

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Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory & Florist, 5401 Highway 153.