When a city or town discusses having a high quality of life, they need people to make everything happen.
Evora Wheeler, who passed away Friday at age 94, was that kind of person.
Wheeler was well-known for her community service, including time in several local service groups. Among them, Wheeler was a founding member of Lyon County Crime Stoppers. Brandon Khan worked alongside Wheeler for well over a decade and says she was one of Crime Stoppers’ biggest champions.
Khan says Wheeler’s qualities enriched the lives of others around her.
Among her later achievements were receiving the Paul Harris Fellow honor from the Emporia Rotary Club in 2023 and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the David Traylor Zoo in 2024. Former zoo director Lisa Keith says Wheeler was an “angel.”
Part of that well-known community engagement was her baked goods — most notably pies — that helped fundraisers large and small, including the zoo’s annual Roundup Auction.
Also included: Ron’s Ride benefiting Special Olympics. KVOE General Manager Ron Thomas, who has made the bike ride from Emporia to Olpe for years and developed a deep friendship with Wheeler, says fundraising organizers had to seek out Wheeler because they knew the result.
Thomas says Wheeler can be summed up in four words:
There are people considered as friends to everybody they meet. Thomas says Wheeler was one of them.
Wheeler also developed Emporia’s quality of life in other ways, including time on the Emporia City Commission from 1987-1991, including one year as mayor, as well as time on the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and a decade working at Jim Pickert Real Estate.
Khan says Wheeler set an example for residents to follow.
Services are currently pending.
4:45 pm Friday: Longtime community servant Evora Wheeler passes away
Longtime community servant Evora Wheeler has passed away.
Wheeler died Friday morning at age 94.
Wheeler was well-known for her community service, including time in several local service groups and cooking baked goods for a range of fundraisers, but she was also involved in developing Emporia’s quality of life in other ways, including time on the Emporia City Commission and Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Services are currently pending.
KVOE and KVOE.com will have more information and perspective on Wheeler’s legacy this weekend.
