Former VI First Lady Dorothy N. Wheatley passes
Mrs. Dorothy Naomi Davies Wheatley died on Tuesday, April 8, 2014 at the age of 92, according to a family source.
The former First Lady who was at her husband’s side during his political career of 15 years is survived by three sons; Corbett, Douglas and Nathan Wheatley. She had a fourth son Didymus aka Chinko who preceded her in death.
She was married to the Virgin Islands’ second Chief Minister and first Minister of Finance the late Dr. Willard Wheatley at the age of 17 and they hailed from the eastern side of the main island of Tortola.
According to this news site’s research, for a significant portion of her life the late First Lady Dorothy was a homemaker and after the passing of her husband Willard she kept a keen interest in all matters pertaining to the further development of the Virgin Islands.
Mrs. Wheatley’s passing makes her the first 'First Lady' to die in the Virgin Islands with the wives of all the other Chief Ministers/Premiers still alive. First Ladies still alive are Mrs. Hilda Smith-Stoutt the wife of the late Chief Minister H. Lavity Stoutt, Mrs. Lily Romney the wife of the late Chief Minister, Cyril B. Romney, Mrs. Edris O’Neal the wife of former Premier and Minister of Finance Hon. Ralph T. O’Neal OBE and the current First Lady Mrs. Lorna Smith OBE the wife of current Premier Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith.
The late First Lady’s husband Willard Wheatley
The husband of Mrs. Dorothy N. Wheatley was the Virgin Islands’ second Chief Minister and first Minister of Finance. His political career started in 1971 where he was representing the then 6th District which was both East End and Long Look.
Following the addition of more districts which resulted in a split into two districts East End Long Look with a 7th and 8th Districts emerging with late Hon. Wheatley represented the 8th District until the time he lost power in 1986.
His contributions to the Virgin Islands (VI) Education System are deep and wide and many schools were built while he was both Chief Minister and served as a Minister for Education, Health and Welfare at the time.
Late Chief Minister Wheatley was the first Political Leader to remove the VI out of ‘Grant in Aid’ where we had to rely on the United Kingdom for foreign aid to help with our Budget. Many people have strongly argued that the current National Democratic Party regime has taken the county backwards to where the Territory must now have its budget approved first by the United Kingdom through the signing of a protocol for financial management.
He was also the first Chief Minister to construct and live in an official Chief Minister’s House where he was known for elegant entertainment.
Mr. Wheatley was in office from 1971-1986 and he served as Chief Minister from 1971-1979, two consecutive terms. He was the first Chief Minister to hold the portfolio of Minister of Finance from 1976-1979. He also served as Leader of the Opposition from 1979-1983 and Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Health Education and Welfare from 1983-1986.
The late second Chief Minister Honourable Willard Wheatley MBE, LLD died in 1997.
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15 Responses to “Former VI First Lady Dorothy N. Wheatley passes”
Your love is still my guide,
And though we cannot see you
Your always at my side
RIP
THE ABOVE STATEMENT IS SPOT ON