Barry Don Wheeless
7/7/43-5/23/25
Barry Don Wheeless passed away peacefully at age 81 on May 23, 2025, at his home in Lakewood, Colo. A lifelong lover of golf, he spent his final moments doing what he loved — practicing his swing in the backyard on a beautiful spring day.
Barry was born on July 7, 1943, to parents Dalioun Barry Wheeless and Kathaleta Hawkins Wheeless in Longview, Texas. The family moved to Amarillo when Barry was a toddler. He completed all his schooling in Amarillo and attended Amarillo Community College two years for pre-engineering. He transferred to the University of Texas at Austin and completed his B.S. in mechanical engineering in 1966.
In July 1964, Barry married Treva Jane Wheeler in Amarillo, and Treva worked as he finished his degree in Austin. After graduating from UT, he began his career at Alcoa in Port Lavaca, Texas. Both daughters, Whitney and Julie, were born in Port Lavaca. In 1973, the family moved with Alcoa to Paramaribo, Suriname, in South America and enjoyed a vibrant ex-pat community, mostly attached to Alcoa and the American school there. In 1977, Barry was again transferred with Alcoa to Newburgh, Ind., working at Warrick Operations in the smelting division. The family stayed in Newburgh for the remainder of Barry’s career.
He was an active and dedicated father, coaching the girls’ soccer teams, leading the charge for the Castle band boosters and engaged in neighborhood projects. He was well known for his lawn care, a teasing sense of humor and diverse music collection. In 1996, Barry earned his M.A. in applied behavior science at the Leadership Institute of Seattle through Bastyr University.
In 2003, Barry and Treva built their dream mountain home in Pagosa Springs, Colo., on three acres. Soon after, in February 2004, Barry retired from a long, impactful career at Alcoa. His last role was manager of like technology, managing the process technology support group for 25 smelters worldwide and leading on technical integrations.
Once he officially retired, he continued consulting in the aluminum industry for a few years. In Pagosa, Barry got involved in the small mountain community volunteering as a tour guide at Chimney Rock National Monument, which was a role he greatly loved — educating many visitors to the area; Barry also served on the Chimney Rock Interpretive Association board and as its president.
Barry supported STEM programs at the high school and was on the board of the Archuleta County Education Center. He served many years as an active member of the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs, serving on the board, and then as president from 2013-2014.
In 2017, Barry and Treva moved to the Denver area to be near family and more accessible health care. No matter where he lived, Barry made close friends, supported his community, and enjoyed family dinners and special events. Earlier in life, he was an avid fly fisherman, wading in those beautiful Colorado streams and tying his own flies with his dad. Barry has visited the Wolf Creek, Colo., area spending summer vacations at Bruce Spruce Ranch since he was a toddler; the family continues that tradition to this day each July. His biggest love later in life was golf, which he studied technique and followed for decades. Over the years, he enjoyed hiking, working out and being outdoors. Barry was a lifelong learner.
Barry is survived by his wife of 61 years, Treva Wheeless. He is also survived by his two daughters, Julie Wheeless, of Wheat Ridge, Colo., and Whitney Wheeless and son-in-law Jim Rowe of Boulder, Colo., and his adventurous and smart four grandsons: Eliot (23), Miles (20), Leo (12) and Oscar (12).
A small, informal gathering will be planned for late July in Pagosa Springs. A celebration of life is planned for Sunday, Aug. 10, from 2 to 5 p.m. at The Vista at Applewood Golf Course in Golden. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs or to your favorite charity working to improve people’s lives.
Barry was loved by many and will be deeply missed. His dedication to his family was a constant, always the provider. His grandsons especially loved him greatly.
