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Gordon Wayne Wheatley, Sr., 83, passed away on Friday, December 26, 2025. A lifelong resident of Tangier Island, Virginia, he was born on October 3, 1942, to the late Gordon and Ada Parks Wheatley.
Gordon Wayne was a true Tangier Island waterman whose life was shaped by the Chesapeake Bay. He began working on the water in the seventh grade and remained devoted to his calling until the age of 78. As captain of the Sandra Gail, he earned the respect of fellow watermen through his work ethic, skill, and deep love for the island. When he wasn’t working, Gordon Wayne enjoyed playing softball for the “Pibbs,” continuing to play until he was 42 years old. He was also a loyal New York Yankees fan and found his greatest joy sitting in his porch – especially when joined by his family.
In addition to his parents, Gordon Wayne was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Sandra Gail Crockett Wheatley; his son, Gordon Wayne “Waynie” Wheatley; and his brother, Nolan L. Wheatley.
He leaves to cherish his memory his son, Jonathan “Paul” Wheatley and his wife, Kelly, of Tangier; grandchildren, Ashley Eskridge and her husband, Joseph, of Greer, SC, and Jonathon Wheatley and his fiancée, Georgianna, of Yorktown, VA; great-grandchildren, Harlow, Oliver, and Waylon Eskridge; sisters, Ruth Marshall, Portia Pruitt and her husband, Edward, and Tina Parks and her husband, Mike; brothers-in-law, Wes Crockett and his wife, Nancy, and Jeff Crockett and his wife, Nancy; sisters-in-law, Marion Carson and her husband, Buddy and Linda Wheatley; and several nieces, nephews, cousins, and their families.
Gordon Wayne will be remembered as a devoted family man and a hardworking waterman, whose legacy lives on through generations of love, tradition, and faith.
Funeral services were held at Swain Memorial United Methodist Church on Friday, January 2, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., with The Reverend Charles W. Parks III and Mr. Edward Pruitt officiating. Private interment followed at the Crockett Family Cemetery.
Contributions in Gordon Wayne’s memory may be made to Swain Memorial United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 199, Tangier, VA 23440 or to Tangier Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 239, Tangier, VA 23440.
Memory tributes may be shared with the family at www.williamsfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements by the Williams Funeral Homes, Onancock, VA and Parksley, VA.
