Florence Wheeler-Rockhill

Florence Darlene "Dee" Wheeler-Rockhill (Begley) age 68, of Joplin, passed away Sunday, September 29, 2013 at Mercy Hospital Joplin.      Dee was born July 3, 1945 at Bolivar, Missouri, one of the three daughters of Jasper and Cleo (Rockhill) Wheeler.  She moved with her family to Oregon where she attended nursing school and had worked in the state DHS office.  She had natural culinary skills and enjoyed cooking at Shawnee Baptist College for several years.  Above all, Dee was a devoted mother and homemaker who loved to play piano and write poetry inspired by her Heavenly Father.  She was a very strong prayer warrior, interceding for anyone who had a need, no matter how great or small.      Survivors include her two sons and their wives, Jeff & Susan Begley, Lamar, Todd & Mary Begley, Tecumseh, Oklahoma; two daughters and their husbands, Melissa & T.J. Wilkinson, Milton, Florida and Brenda & Rick Fenton, Frederick, Oklahoma; her children's father, Don Begley, Lamar; a sister, Eleanor Sills, Vancouver, Washington; 17 grandchildren, Marci (Kip) Sosa-Vallez, Tim, Jeffrey (Cassie), & Keenan Begley, Heather (Arnold) Castillo, Elijah & Isaiah Begley, Christopher (Breann), Brittany, Galilee & Brayden Buie, Jordan Fenton, Alysha Payne, Elayne (Steven) Garrick, Sarah (Jesse) Crook, Shiloh & Brandon Wilkinson; and 21 great-grandchildren, Corinthian & Malachi Vallez, Josiah & Sarinity Begley, Cheyenne Shadden, Jazmine Wescott, Rubena & Adrian Castillo, Isaac & Jacob Begley, Westin, Tatum & Taryn Buie, Tristen Buie, Rachel Fenton, Landon, Ethan & Dalton, Kaylee Payne, Tristen, Emma & Hadley Garrick, and Isabella Crook.  She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Keenan Lee Begley; a sister, Hilda Clark; and two great-grandbabies, Trenten & Chloe Wescott.      A graveside funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 1st at Oakton Cemetery with Rev. Tom Welch officiating.      Memorial contributions are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice.