Return to Table of Contents
1. Osborn Keith WHEELER
(photo) was born on 16 Jul 1936 in Corning, Tehama Co., CA. Born and raised
in Corning, CA, he attended schools there, graduating from high school in 1954.
His father died suddenly when Keith was three, leaving him to be raised by
mother and older sister. He began working odd jobs at an early age and was active
in sports and student government during high school. He received a scholarship
to UCLA as a midshipman in the NROTC program. After 1 year and a midshipman
cruise to Norway, Sweden and Cuba, he resigned this appointment and left UCLA
to go to Chico State College. For the next 10 years he supported himself, much
of the time as a shoe salesman, while attending school and working for his BA
in psychology. During this period, he was drafted into the US Army serving 1
year as a personnel specialist in Headquarters Company, Fort Ord, CA, while living
much of the time in New Monterey; the second year of service, 1960-61, was a
special mission assignment to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He flew to Saudi Arabia
from the east coast, across the Atlantic and Mediterranean, stopping at Bermuda,
the Azores, Spain and Libya. During his tour in the desert capitol he was able
to visit several Middle Eastern and Northern African countries (including a tour
of the "Holy Lands," 2 visits to Lebanon and several visits to Asmara,
Eritrea, then part of Ethiopia). He returned to the US via Pakistan, India, Thailand,
Vietnam, the Philippines, Guam and Hawaii, thereby circumventing the globe.
Returning to Chico to finish his education, he worked variously as a legal investigator
for a Chico law firm and for Chico State as a teaching assistant, college psychometrist,
psychology instructor, counselor and test officer. He helped establish the Chico
State Chapter of Psi Chi, National Honor Society in Psychology and was its first
president. He received a MA in psychology and Life Junior College Teaching Credential
in 1966. He then taught psychology at College of the Redwoods in Eureka for 6
years serving as Department Chair for part of this period. While trained and
knowledgeable in all aspects of the field of psychology, his main interest at
this time was in Clinical and Humanistic Psychology (and what was then known
as the "third force" in psychology) and was involved in experiments
in group process. He maintained membership in the American Humanist Assoc., American
Personnel & Guidance Assoc., Student Personnel Assoc. of Calif. Colleges,
National Council on Measurement in Education and Northern Area School Psychologists
& Psychometrists (CASPP Affiliate). He was active in developing new programs
and classes at the college and served as faculty advisor to several student groups
and clubs. During this time he received his MFC therapist license and counseling
and psychometry credentials. Joining the "back to the land" movement
in 1972, he and his wife, Peggy, and their 4 children "dropped out"
to "homestead" 20 remote acres in eastern Humboldt County. During
their 16 years at Buck Mountain, they built their own house, barn, out buildings,
hydro-electric system and self-sustaining lifestyle. While there, he worked
at such jobs as logging and lumber mill work, substitute teaching, therapist
and for the US Forest Service. While starting out with the Forest Service as
a firefighter, he spent most of the 6 years he worked for that organization in
the Engineering Department as an Engineering Tech, Construction Inspector and
in facilities and water systems maintenance (obtaining state licenses in those
areas). When Peg went back to school in 1988, he took a position as a clinical
therapist with Trinity County Mental Health in Weaverville, later taking a position
as a licensed counselor for a hospital-based drug-alcohol program in Eureka.
While in Eureka he also taught chemical dependency courses at College of the
Redwoods and was a special lecturer for a Humboldt State program for probation
officers. He also led recovery and co-dependency workshops. With Peg's continued
employment in southern Trinity Co., he left the hospital for a position at the
Ruth Lake Community Service District as administrator where he served for 2 years
until a heart attack forced him into early retirement. He continued his struggle
for health through bypass surgery and several angioplasties and stents. His
hobbies have included listening to classical music, reading, gardening, tree
planting and care, home handyman projects and learning new skills (from blacksmithing
to bee keeping). After his heart attack, he took up the hobbies of genealogy
and tinkering on old British sports cars (Sunbeam Alpines). He also helps his
teacher wife with her web site, which can be viewed at: http://www.tcoe.trinity.k12.ca.us/~sotrin/stweb/index~1.htm
In Apr 1999 he underwent his second open heart bypass surgery.