Page 77 - History of the United Methodist Church in Rockingham County
P. 77
History of Congregations of Winchester District June 12, 2024
at 205 S. Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801; or RMH at 2010 Health Campus Drive, Harrisonburg, VA
22801.
James Holman (Jim) Wheatley, 75, of Weems and formerly of Harrisonburg, died Oct. 18, 2009. Jim was
born Mar. 7, 1934, in Welch, WV and was the son of the late James E. and Virginia H. Wheatley. Jim graduated
from Petersburg High School in 1952 and from the University of Richmond in 1956. He was in the ROTC at
University of Richmond and served in the U.S. Army on active duty and reserves for 10 years following his
graduation. On June 16, 1957, he married Barbara Tucker Wheatley, who survives. Surviving in addition to his
wife are two sons and daughter, James K. Wheatley and daughter-in-law Barbara S. Wheatley of Harrisonburg,
Robert C. Wheatley and daughter-in-law Karen A. Wheatley of Harrisonburg, and daughter Susan Wheatley
Grow and son-in-law James B. Grow of Great Falls. He is also survived by nine beloved grandchildren, Jordan
Wheatley, Gray Wheatley, Tucker Wheatley, Mady Grow, Morgan Wheatley, Kristin Guntharp, Jeb Grow,
Gregory Guntharp, and Mary Hagen Grow. His greatest joy in life was attending the many events and activities
in which his grandchildren were involve. Jim started his professional career working for Ford Motor Company in
1956 for 7 years before moving to Harrisonburg in 1963 and purchasing the Ford dealership that became
Wheatley Yetzer Ford. In 1970, along with his wife Barbara, they founded the Harrisonburg Auto Auction which
they owned until 1987 and managed until their retirement in 2004. He was immensely proud of the Auto Auction,
which he and Barbara started from scratch, and grew into a nationally recognized auction that sold over 50,000
cars per year and employed over 350 people. He was recognized by the Harrisonburg Rockingham Chamber of
Commerce as Entrepreneur of the Year in 1989. Jim was nationally recognized as a leader in the auto auction
industry. He served as the President of the National Auto Auction Association in 1988 and President of the
Southern Auto Auction Association in 1976. He served on the NAAA board and numerous committees for many
years. He was elected to the National Auto Auction Association Hall of Fame in 1994. Along with his wife
Barbara, they helped to found the Scholastic Foundation of the National Auto Auction Association and was
rewarded as a Warren Young Fellow in 2008 for his contributions to the Foundation. He received numerous
awards over the years from the Virginia Independent Automobile Dealers Association and the National
Independent Auto Dealers Association for services he provided to those organizations. Jim was an active member
of Asbury UMC in Harrisonburg for over 40 years. He was active in various civic organizations over the years
including the Harrisonburg Lions Club, Harrisonburg Jaycees, Harrisonburg Elks Lodge, and president of the
Rockingham Co. American Red Cross. He was the proud Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 40 and Cub Scout
Pack 40 in Harrisonburg for over 10 years. He was active with Harrisonburg High School sports boosters and
earned the Blue Streak Award with his wife Barbara in 1984 for all their efforts at HHS. He coached little league
baseball for many years while his sons were playing. Jim served on the JMU Foundation Board of Directors from
1989 until 2001. He served on the Executive Advisory Committee for the JMU College of Business for many
years. He was a founding board member and the first Chairman of the Board of Rockingham Heritage Bank in
Harrisonburg. Funeral Services were held on Oct. 22nd at Asbury UMC with Rev. Larry Thompson officiating.
Burial followed at the Eastlawn Memorial Gardens. The Wheatley family received friends Kyger Funeral Home,
Harrisonburg. Memorial contributions in Jim’s name were to be made the National Auto Auction Association
Scholastic Foundation, Inc., c/o NAAA, 5320-D Spectrum Drive, Frederick, MD 21073-7337; or to Asbury
UMC, 205 South Main St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801.
Dorothy B. Wiseman, 93, a resident Harrisonburg, died Nov. 19, 2008, at Rockingham Memorial
Hospital. Mrs. Wiseman was born on July 23, 1915, in Dublin, Md., and was the daughter of the late Rev.
George H. and Sadie Pritchett Bennett. She taught in the Arlington Co. school system for many years. She was
active in the Virginia Mennonite Village Community for 17 years. Mrs. Wiseman was an active member of
Asbury UMC in Harrisonburg and formerly a member of Cherrydale UMC in Arlington. On May 17, 1941, she
married Elmer Wiseman, who preceded her in death. Surviving are, three sons, Paul Wiseman and wife Marcia,
Harrisonburg; Richard (Sandy) L. Wiseman and wife Terri, Manassas; David E. Wiseman and wife Linda,
Stephens City; six grandchildren, Heather Wiseman, Todd Wiseman, Bryan Wiseman, Jason Wiseman, Sarah and
Brandon Collins, and Steven and Beth Wiseman; and two great-grandchildren, Mazie Wiseman, Annabelle
Collins. Rev. Larry Thompson and Jerry John conducted a memorial service at Strite Auditorium of Virginia
Mennonite Retirement Community on Nov. 22nd. Burial was private at National Memorial Park Cemetery in Falls
Church. Friends called at McMullen Funeral Home, Harrisonburg. Memorial contributions were to be made to
the Rockingham Memorial Hospital Regional Cancer Center, 100 East Grace Street, Harrisonburg, Va. 22801.
II.B.1 Asbury UMC 65 Volume 5
at 205 S. Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801; or RMH at 2010 Health Campus Drive, Harrisonburg, VA
22801.
James Holman (Jim) Wheatley, 75, of Weems and formerly of Harrisonburg, died Oct. 18, 2009. Jim was
born Mar. 7, 1934, in Welch, WV and was the son of the late James E. and Virginia H. Wheatley. Jim graduated
from Petersburg High School in 1952 and from the University of Richmond in 1956. He was in the ROTC at
University of Richmond and served in the U.S. Army on active duty and reserves for 10 years following his
graduation. On June 16, 1957, he married Barbara Tucker Wheatley, who survives. Surviving in addition to his
wife are two sons and daughter, James K. Wheatley and daughter-in-law Barbara S. Wheatley of Harrisonburg,
Robert C. Wheatley and daughter-in-law Karen A. Wheatley of Harrisonburg, and daughter Susan Wheatley
Grow and son-in-law James B. Grow of Great Falls. He is also survived by nine beloved grandchildren, Jordan
Wheatley, Gray Wheatley, Tucker Wheatley, Mady Grow, Morgan Wheatley, Kristin Guntharp, Jeb Grow,
Gregory Guntharp, and Mary Hagen Grow. His greatest joy in life was attending the many events and activities
in which his grandchildren were involve. Jim started his professional career working for Ford Motor Company in
1956 for 7 years before moving to Harrisonburg in 1963 and purchasing the Ford dealership that became
Wheatley Yetzer Ford. In 1970, along with his wife Barbara, they founded the Harrisonburg Auto Auction which
they owned until 1987 and managed until their retirement in 2004. He was immensely proud of the Auto Auction,
which he and Barbara started from scratch, and grew into a nationally recognized auction that sold over 50,000
cars per year and employed over 350 people. He was recognized by the Harrisonburg Rockingham Chamber of
Commerce as Entrepreneur of the Year in 1989. Jim was nationally recognized as a leader in the auto auction
industry. He served as the President of the National Auto Auction Association in 1988 and President of the
Southern Auto Auction Association in 1976. He served on the NAAA board and numerous committees for many
years. He was elected to the National Auto Auction Association Hall of Fame in 1994. Along with his wife
Barbara, they helped to found the Scholastic Foundation of the National Auto Auction Association and was
rewarded as a Warren Young Fellow in 2008 for his contributions to the Foundation. He received numerous
awards over the years from the Virginia Independent Automobile Dealers Association and the National
Independent Auto Dealers Association for services he provided to those organizations. Jim was an active member
of Asbury UMC in Harrisonburg for over 40 years. He was active in various civic organizations over the years
including the Harrisonburg Lions Club, Harrisonburg Jaycees, Harrisonburg Elks Lodge, and president of the
Rockingham Co. American Red Cross. He was the proud Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 40 and Cub Scout
Pack 40 in Harrisonburg for over 10 years. He was active with Harrisonburg High School sports boosters and
earned the Blue Streak Award with his wife Barbara in 1984 for all their efforts at HHS. He coached little league
baseball for many years while his sons were playing. Jim served on the JMU Foundation Board of Directors from
1989 until 2001. He served on the Executive Advisory Committee for the JMU College of Business for many
years. He was a founding board member and the first Chairman of the Board of Rockingham Heritage Bank in
Harrisonburg. Funeral Services were held on Oct. 22nd at Asbury UMC with Rev. Larry Thompson officiating.
Burial followed at the Eastlawn Memorial Gardens. The Wheatley family received friends Kyger Funeral Home,
Harrisonburg. Memorial contributions in Jim’s name were to be made the National Auto Auction Association
Scholastic Foundation, Inc., c/o NAAA, 5320-D Spectrum Drive, Frederick, MD 21073-7337; or to Asbury
UMC, 205 South Main St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801.
Dorothy B. Wiseman, 93, a resident Harrisonburg, died Nov. 19, 2008, at Rockingham Memorial
Hospital. Mrs. Wiseman was born on July 23, 1915, in Dublin, Md., and was the daughter of the late Rev.
George H. and Sadie Pritchett Bennett. She taught in the Arlington Co. school system for many years. She was
active in the Virginia Mennonite Village Community for 17 years. Mrs. Wiseman was an active member of
Asbury UMC in Harrisonburg and formerly a member of Cherrydale UMC in Arlington. On May 17, 1941, she
married Elmer Wiseman, who preceded her in death. Surviving are, three sons, Paul Wiseman and wife Marcia,
Harrisonburg; Richard (Sandy) L. Wiseman and wife Terri, Manassas; David E. Wiseman and wife Linda,
Stephens City; six grandchildren, Heather Wiseman, Todd Wiseman, Bryan Wiseman, Jason Wiseman, Sarah and
Brandon Collins, and Steven and Beth Wiseman; and two great-grandchildren, Mazie Wiseman, Annabelle
Collins. Rev. Larry Thompson and Jerry John conducted a memorial service at Strite Auditorium of Virginia
Mennonite Retirement Community on Nov. 22nd. Burial was private at National Memorial Park Cemetery in Falls
Church. Friends called at McMullen Funeral Home, Harrisonburg. Memorial contributions were to be made to
the Rockingham Memorial Hospital Regional Cancer Center, 100 East Grace Street, Harrisonburg, Va. 22801.
II.B.1 Asbury UMC 65 Volume 5
