Shauneen (Sicks) Wheeler

Shauneen (Sicks) Wheeler – loving wife and partner, mother, daughter, aunt, cousin, niece and friend. Born in Bremerton, Wash. July 16, 1954.

After waging an epic 15-month battle with Lymphoma, Shauneen passed away peacefully at home in her husband’s arms on July 6, 2008. In the home that she helped build and loved, Shauneen loved to cook and eat good food, read a captivating book or watch a good western movie. She also enjoyed downhill skiing, her two incredible daughters, camping, hiking, fly fishing, scuba diving, travel, gardening, horseback riding and unquestionably her family and friends.

Graduating from Central Kitsap High School in 1972 Shauneen was always interested in music, choir and horses — interests that continued throughout her entire life. She then went on to attend various community colleges around the state forever expanding her knowledge. Shauneen also held the distinction of being the youngest female certified ski instructor in the northwest by the National Ski Instructors Association. One of Shauneen’s many strong points was her mind, she had an incredible wit and a strong conviction to her beliefs.

Shauneen and Jim were married on March 4, 1989 at Snoqualmie Summit in the Chapel of St. Bernard. Hand-in-hand the two built two log homes together, fly fished at countless lakes in British Columbia, skied in Washington, Oregon and B.C. Jim and Shauneen operated two very successful businesses — one a nationally recognized ski racing business and the other a boat manufacturing venture, which is still in business and will continue in Shauneen’s honor. As a teenager Shauneen loved to hike and climb in the Olympic Mountains and was involved in Camp Craft, a program offered through Olympic College in Bremerton and under the direction of her parents.

Shauneen is survived by her husband, Jim; two daughters: Mackenzie Wheeler and Justina Price; her mother, Florence Sicks; her sisters: Shana Keitman and Juli Soto and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews throughout the country.

A memorial service, “Reflecting on the Life of an Extraordinary Woman”, will be held at Deep Bay City Park in Oroville on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008 at 2 p.m. with a gathering afterwards with refreshments. Dress will be casual with preferred attire being shorts and a Hawaiian shirt in Shauneen’s honor and at Shauneen’s request. As we will be in a park seating will be on grass so bring a blanket or lawn chair of your choice.

Donations for the family can be made to the Shauneen Wheeler Donation Account at any Wells Fargo Bank. The account is held at the Tonasket Branch. Our hope is to use the proceeds to develop a foundation in Shauneen’s honor to help in the research of T-Cell Lymphoma. Iris bulbs for Shauneen’s Memorial Iris Garden can be sent directly to the Shauneen Wheeler Memorial Iris Garden, 35 Sourdough Creek Road, Tonasket, WA 98855.