Born at Trinity Lutheran Hospital on August 10, 1926, Wheeler graduated from Westport High School in 1942.

A third generation physician,[2] Wheeler entered Kansas City Junior College in 1942, transferring to University of Louisville in 1944 and earned a B.A.

[3] Wheeler began his public career when he was elected Coroner of Jackson County, Missouri, in January 1965.

So much successful development happened during Wheeler's two terms as mayor that a 2002 profile in the conservative Kansas city business magazine Ingram's said: "Many regard this as the last golden age of Kansas City with the construction of KCI, Worlds of Fun, Crown Center, and the Truman Sports Complex.

"[2] Wheeler ran for the U.S. Senate in 1976 and garnered less than 2% of the vote[8] in the Democratic primary in a race that was won by Jerry Litton, who died in a plane crash en route to the victory party in Kansas City.

Wheeler ran for mayor of Kansas City one additional time in 2011,[9] but his candidacy did not survive the primary.

Wheeler defeated Rep. Henry Rizzo in the August 6, 2002, Democratic primary, and his other opponent Rep. Tom Hoppe did not collect enough signatures to run as an independent.

[12] Wheeler did not concurrently seek re-election to the senate and was succeeded by Democrat Jolie Justus in the 10th district seat.