John Henry Wheatley

06 Nov 1979 – 29 May 2024

John Henry Wheatley, aged 44, passed away peacefully on May 29th, 2024. He was a beloved husband, son, brother, uncle, nephew, and friend who will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

John was born on November 6th, 1979, in Campbellsville, Kentucky. He studied sociology and art at Western Kentucky University. John met his husband, Michael, at Western in 2000, and they were married in 2004 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After getting married, John and Michael moved to Seal Harbor, Maine where John worked as a lobster fisherman and a volunteer firefighter with the Mount Desert Fire Department. In 2009, John and Michael moved to Madison, Wisconsin where John worked in the service industry.

A lifelong artist, John enjoyed printmaking and painting. He was fond of playing piano and guitar, and sharing music with friends and family. He loved being outdoors, often kayaking and biking around the Madison area, stargazing, or simply resting in his hammock at home. John loved his cat Phyllis, dog Ruben, and backyard chickens. John also loved being around family, friends, and new acquaintances to share moments, stories, and laughs.

John is survived by his loving husband, J. Michael Brockman, his parents, Henry “Butch” Wheatley and Betty Jo Wheatley of Campbellsville, Kentucky; brother, Jeremy Howard Wheatley (Kerri) of Colorado Springs, Colorado; sister, Shannon H. Taylor of Campbellsville, Kentucky; niece, Raven M. Wheatley of Colorado Springs, Colorado; niece, Madison Kennedy Ferrie of Campbellsville, Kentucky; mother-in-law, Margaret James (Jonathan) of Crestwood, Kentucky; sister-in-law, Stephanie L. Brockman (Coriell Lewis) of Independence, Kentucky; brother-in-law, Brian A. Brockman of Columbus, Wisconsin, and other relatives and friends.

He is preceded in death by his mother, Teresa “Terri” L. Feese Wheatley, of Campbellsville, Kentucky and father-in-law John C. Brockman, of English, Kentucky.

A memorial service to celebrate John’s life will be held Friday, June 7th, 2024 at 11:00 A.M. at Cress Funeral Home (3325 E Washington Ave, Madison, WI 53704) with burial to follow at Roselawn Memorial Park. Rev. Karen Armina will be officiating. The service will be live streamed for friends and family unable to attend in person.

Visitation will begin at 9:30 A.M. on Friday until the service begins.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Shelter from the Storm (https://www.sftsrescue.org/donate), from where John and Michael adopted their much loved dog Ruben.

For those not able to attend in person, please register at the following link to view a copy of John's service:

https://event.forgetmenotceremonies.com/ceremony?c=16ad08f7-8a05-419e-8960-b9e1d442e66a

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

3325 E. Washington Ave.

Madison (608) 249-6666