Jean Marie (Stengl) Wheeler, 76, of Antigo, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Agrace Hospice in Fitchburg, WI after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.
Jean was born on April 13, 1950, in Antigo to Elmer and Avis (Rusch) Stengl. She grew up as a true country girl, riding the neighbors’ horses, running through the fields and woods, and enjoying all that the outdoors had to offer with her siblings.
Jean met the love of her life, Dan, in August 1969, and they were married on April 29, 1972, at Peace Lutheran Church in Antigo. Together, they purchased their first home in town, where they rented the second floor for many years to a variety of tenants, some of whom became lifelong friends.
After working a variety of jobs while raising her family, Jean returned to school when her children were young. She completed correspondence courses in respiratory therapy and went on to spend 35 years as a registered respiratory therapist at Langlade Memorial Hospital. Jean loved her colleagues and, most of all, the many people she had the opportunity to help throughout her career. She retired in 2016.
In 1990, Jean and her family moved to the country south of town, where she fulfilled her lifelong dream of owning horses. It was also there that her love of flower and vegetable gardening truly blossomed. Jean cherished being at home, enjoying the beauty and peacefulness of the countryside with her family.
Jean found joy in many things. For years, she enjoyed clogging with friends and entertaining crowds at events throughout the area. She loved exercising, visiting with friends, and sharing vegetables from her garden at Well Fit. Gardening, crafting, cooking, and playing Scrabble and Yahtzee with Dan were among her favorite pastimes. Jean was always prepared to feed her sons’ friends when they came over and treated them like her own. Her perch fish fry, complete with twice-baked potatoes, coleslaw, and homemade bread, was legendary and left anyone who experienced it spoiled for any other fish fry.
Above all, Jean’s greatest joy was her grandchildren. She treasured every moment spent with Max, Adeline, Bryce, and Livy—from playing board games and taking Ranger rides up and down Ticklebelly Hill to cooking and simply being together. The memories she created with them will remain treasured by her family forever.
Jean was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She was deeply loving, generous, and would do anything for her family. Her loss is immeasurable, but her family finds comfort knowing that she is no longer suffering and that the love and memories she gave them will live on.
Jean is survived by her husband, Dan; sons, Brett (Sacia) and Bryan (Emily); grandchildren, Max, Adeline, Bryce, and Livy; sister, Audrey; sisters-in-law, Amy (Kevin) Meeks, Joanne Hastreiter, and Nancy Stengl; brother-in-law, Larry Wheeler; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Avis Stengl; sisters, Ginger McDowell and Jennifer Steele; and brother, John Stengl.
In accordance with her wishes there will be no services.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to organizations supporting children with autism, pancreatic cancer research, or Agrace Hospice in Fitchburg.
