Lives of Consequence
Lucia Lowe Wheeler '42
Educator
Lucia Lowe Wheeler '42 dedicated her life to the service of others and kept her community at the forefront of her priorities, serving in dozens of capacities and acting as a role model for those around her.
Wheeler was born July 6, 1919 in Buffalo, N.Y. While at William Smith, Wheeler played field hockey and was involved in Schola Cantorum, the yearbook and the Little Theatre. After graduating with a degree in English, Wheeler became a well-known and well-respected teacher at nearby Penn Yan Academy, retiring in 1979 after 28 years of service.
A longtime volunteer for the Ontario-Yates County Rape Crisis Center, the Hospice Center and her church, she served on numerous community boards and as a charter member and fourth president of Alpha Tau Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma International, a society of women educators.
Over the arc of her life, her passion for the community was recognized through numerous awards. In 2000, she was awarded Volunteer of the Year by the Catholic Charities of the Finger Lakes and in that same year was presented with St. Mark's Outstanding Service Award. In 2003, she received the award for Outstanding Advocacy and Community Work in Ending Sexual Violence from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. In 2004, she received the Donald and Corinne Stork Award for Community Service at Keuka College.
In 2010, Wheeler was honored with the Colleges' inaugural Community Service Award, established in 2009 by the Board of Trustees to recognize members of the HWS family who have demonstrated an extraordinary and sustained volunteer commitment in serving their local communities and the greater community.
Wheeler passed away in May 2012.