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FEDERALSBURG - The Wheatleys are nothing short of a local power-couple. Since meeting in the hallways of Colonel Richardson High School, they have built their careers, raised their family, and continuously expanded their impressive repertoire of volunteer roles in Caroline County.
Irene grew up in Preston, while Richard was raised in Federalsburg. They met as ninth graders at Colonel and, as Richard put it, have “been together ever since.” After graduating, Irene went on to the University of Maryland to study education. Richard attended Salisbury University, which was at that time Salisbury State College. And of course, they tied the knot in 1971.
The Wheatleys each enjoyed long careers in local schools. Richard coached and taught physical education in Caroline for 31 years, beginning at Greensboro Elementary before moving to Riverview Middle, now Lockerman Middle. He eventually retired from Colonel Richardson Middle School in 2003. Retirement didn’t stick at first, and he spent another decade working for his brother’s construction company until he “retired-retired.” Irene taught for 33 years, dedicating 13 years to Denton Elementary and 19 to Federalsburg Elementary. She taught at Denton from 1972 to 1986, then at Federalsburg from 1986 until 2004.
Richard’s ties to Federalsburg run deep. His family has lived there for generations, with his grandfather being one of the original owners of the iconic Sunshine Laundry. His father later purchased the business. That history, and the fact that “someone has to keep it going”, motivated him to take an active role in the Federalsburg Historical Society in 2007. He helped to restore the old garage that now houses their Museum. “What you see now is just a combination of a lot of hard work and dedication from people in the organization,” he said. Richard has served as a docent at the Museum since 2011 – you can find him down there every Saturday.
Richard is also on the board of the Caroline Foundation, which supports nonprofits across the county, and he is the outgoing President of the Congregation of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Preston. His decades-long involvement in the community includes coaching and eventually becoming the President of the Choptank Football League, the precursor to today’s Pop Warner youth football league. In fact, it was Richard who helped expand two new recreational football teams to Federalsburg in the late 1970s. He also umpired Little League baseball games and served on the board of the Caroline County Credit Union, which supported local educators.
While teaching elementary school, Irene touched as many young lives as she could. When she began teaching in Federalsburg, the need she saw in the community was especially clear, “You really felt you were doing something,” she said. Outside of education, Irene’s community involvement is bound tightly to her church. She is extremely active at Immanuel Lutheran, where she serves on the Nursery School Board, teaches Sunday School, works with the Care and Compassion team to help people with their bills, and oversees the Altar Guild. She also visits several elderly residents, while she and Richard together have provided rides to medical appointments for older neighbors.
Both say their motivation comes from faith, family tradition, and a belief in the importance of community stewardship. “Our parents, both families, were involved in their communities and churches. It’s kind of what we just grew up learning,” Irene said. “Caring for other people”, Richard added, is a large part of their religious calling.
After decades of teaching, volunteering, coaching, and serving, the pair show no signs of stepping back, and said they will continue as long as their bodies allow them. Richard said, “You got to keep active; you don’t want to rust out, you just want to wear out.” Busy as they are, they try to spend as much time as they can with their beloved daughter and granddaughters.
