Jack Wheatley

Jack Wheatley was born in 1928 in Robin, Idaho. He spent his early years working on the family farm and moved to Pocatello during his eighth-grade year.

After high school graduation in 1945, Wheatley went to Idaho State University for one year. He then attended West Point Academy. His senior year, he met Mary Lois Sharp, who was spending a year at New York’s Art Students League.

Upon graduation, Wheatley returned briefly to Idaho before being posted to Korea. He set off from Seattle in August 1950 and served in the Corps of Engineers building roads and bridges. At the end of 1951, Wheatley returned from Korea and married Mary Lois the next year.

In 1956, Wheatley went into the construction business in Palo Alto, Calif. with his eldest brother, serving first as vice president and, in 1967, as president of the company. Between 1963 and 1971, the company was clocking $10 million a year in business volume. In 1967, the same year that Wheatley took control of his company, he ran for Palo Alto City Council, becoming mayor in 1970.

Wheatley’s public service has been wide-ranging. He has served as president of the Stanford Area Council of Boy Scouts of America, as a director and trustee on the Stanford University Hospital board, and, since 1986, as a director of San Jose’s Tech Museum. The museum honored him with its Inspiration Award and, in 1983, Palo Alto’s Chamber of Commerce named him a Tall Tree honoree.

Throughout the years, Jack and Mary’s support of the University has been extraordinary and deeply appreciated. They have endowed several scholarships for ISU students and most recently are funding a long-term project for campus-wide beautification. Their contributions and personal touch will forever impact Idaho State University.