Essie Mae Wheless

On Monday, May 25, 2020, our Lord brought to a close the journey of Essie Wheless calling her home to rest. Essie, the daughter of the late Pattie Batchelor West and the late Jim Wheless, was born March 12, 1931 in Louisburg, North Carolina.

Essie was educated in the Franklin County School System, attending Louisburg High School. Soon after completing her education, she moved to Pittsburgh, PA and lived near her aunt Rachel Batchelor. She was employed at Chatham College, where she retired having over 30+ years of experience in housekeeping and heavy cleaning.

She shared a love of cooking, quilting, and gardening with family and friends by presenting them with gifts of culinary delights, warm quilts, and bouquets of fresh flowers from her garden. She was an avid fisherwoman who especially enjoyed deep sea fishing and the many other excursions with her fishing club. She was well known for her quick wit and sharp tongue wisdom that was appropriate for any of life's situations. One of her most famous sayings was, "here today, gone today."

Essie was preceded in death by her sister Wynell (Stephen) Richardson, Perry Wheless, and Atlas (Sophia) Wheless.

She leaves to cherish her tender memories, her daughter Areatha (Van) Hoyle, son Joseph McKinley Alexander, brother James Wheless, and sister Adeline (Thomas) Hutchinson. She was blessed and survived by a host of family members, including grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great, great-grandchildren.

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