Obituaries
Procession Held For Longtime Libertyville Mailman Marcus Wheeler
Marcus Wheeler became a friend to many residents along his mail route and is remembered for his kindness and sense of humor.
LIBERTYVILLE, IL — A longtime Libertyville postal worker is being remembered by residents for his kindness and for going above and beyond his duties to befriend many in town and keep up with their lives.
Marcus Wheeler died suddenly at the age of 56 on Thursday. On Saturday, a procession led by police cars, postal service trucks and other vehicles drove Wheeler's postal route to honor the beloved mailman, the Daily Herald reported.
"I've been in the post office for 32 years and in management for about 15 years," Libertyville Postmaster Patrick Sweeney told the newspaper. "I've never seen this. He is loved by his customers. He had a great personality and sense of humor. His smile was constant."
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Many Libertyville residents along Wheeler's route are sharing memories and singing the longtime postal worker's praise. They have written tributes on the website of the funeral home handling Wheeler's obituary and funeral, many pointing out how Wheeler became a friend following discussions over politics and family while he delivered their mail.
He was smart, cheerful and a "really great person," many residents said.
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"We are so proud to have known Marcus. He was our Libertyville mailman for many years," a Libertyville couple posted as a tribute on the legacy.com website. "Once we retired he became our friend. We looked forward to our mail delivery because we would see Marcus. We treated him like family and he did the same with us."
Wheeler's daughter, Camryn Wheeler, told the Daily Herald that her dad lived in a predominantly Black Chicago neighborhood. The tribute from residents in Libertyville, where most residents are white, and from people from so many different backgrounds, including a veteran who had one leg and stood up to honor her father during Saturday's procession, amazed her, she said.
"I know that if he was alive he wouldn't even believe this because he was so humble," she told the newspaper.
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