Laura Jo Wheeler passed away peacefully on February 20, 2026, at The Legacy at South Plains in Lubbock, called home to heaven in the presence of her loved ones. She was 91.

The former Laura Jo Starnes was born in Dallas on March 29, 1934, to Gill and Naomi Dodd Starnes. She and her older brother, John, were raised in Cotton Center, where their father farmed and owned and operated Starnes Gin. Encouraged by her parents, Laura Jo became a skilled horsewoman, and she was a familiar figure in the saddle as she and her friends toured the countryside on horseback. A talented student-athlete at Cotton Center High School, she was voted favorite of her junior class and All Around Girl by her peers, and she was a member of an Elkettes basketball team that advanced to the state tournament.

Following her graduation in 1951, Laura Jo enrolled at Texas Tech University. There, she discovered her love of journalism, and she wrote for the school newspaper prior to obtaining her degree in 1954.

During her time at Tech, Laura Jo began dating a fellow student, Ferrel Dale Wheeler. Drawn together by their shared Christian faith, the couple exchanged wedding vows on January 14, 1955, and they were blessed with four children, Amanda, Jenny, Nathan, and Camille, whom they raised on the family cotton farm near Southland.

Laura Jo enjoyed a rewarding career at Southland High School as a journalism and English teacher. She taught her own children, as well as three nephews and a niece, and she instilled in all of her students the belief that they could excel academically in college. Additionally, she mentored youth in preparation for University Interscholastic League competitions, and a number of her pupils advanced to the UIL Academic State Meet, some winning gold medals.

A connoisseur of literature, Laura Jo counted Mark Twain and poet Robert Frost among her favorite writers. She excelled at teaching the works of Shakespeare, and she coordinated trips to the Globe Theater in Odessa, where her students saw Shakespeare plays.

Laura Jo and Ferrel attended the First United Methodist Church of Slaton for nearly six decades. In 2019, after spending well over 60 years on their treasured farm, they moved from Southland to Lubbock.

Over the course of their marriage, Laura Jo and Ferrel shared their love of horses, books, and music, and they delighted in seeing their family grow to include many precious grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They took enormous pride in the accomplishments of their children and grandchildren, traveling often to see them, and Laura Jo kept lists of birthdays and major events, never failing to send cards to family members on special occasions.

Laura Jo prayed and read her Bible daily. Above all, her life was defined by her relationship with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in what will forever be a legacy of faith for her family and the generations to come.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Ferrel Wheeler, and her brother, John Starnes.

Laura Jo leaves to cherish her memory her children, Amanda Teachnor of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, Jenny Wheeler Dickerson and her husband, Nathan, of Carrollton, Nathan Wheeler and his wife, Carol, of Wilson, and Camille Wheeler of Austin; her grandchildren, Daniel Zachary Teachnor and his wife, Melissa, Amber Danielle Drew and her husband, Kyle, Rachel Dickerson Darwin and her husband, Logan, Josh Dickerson and his wife, Brianne, Michael “Cosmic” Dickerson and his wife, Dana, Aaron “Matthew” Dickerson and his wife, Rita, Marianne White and her husband, Riley, Jonathan Wheeler and his wife, Brooke, Kyle Wheeler and his wife, Courtney, Benjamin Wheeler and his wife, Reece, Nancie Wheeler, and Daniel Wheeler; her great-grandchildren, Blaine, Isaiah, Naomi, Caleb, Emily, Benaiah “Ben,” Ezekiel “Zeke,” Autumn, Max, Elizabeth, Christopher, Bartholomew “Barry,” Emelia, Luke, Remy, Caden, Madelyn, Lainey, Paige, Coleson, Norrie, Brooklyn, Gatlin, Callie, Ellie, and Weston; and her many other relatives and friends.

The funeral service is scheduled for 10 a.m. March 7th at Slaton Methodist Church, followed by a graveside service at Slaton Englewood Cemetery. Arrangements by Englunds Funeral Service & Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Slaton Methodist Church, P.O. Box 250, Slaton, Texas, 79364-0250.