Former KC Mayor, State Senator Charles Wheeler Dies at 96

Charles Wheeler, mayor of Kansas City throughout most of the 1970’s, has died. 

Charles Wheeler Junior was born in 1926, served in the Navy and the Air Force, and became both a doctor and a lawyer before getting into politics. 

His first election win was for Jackson County Coroner, and while in office he created a training program for homicide detectives investigating causes of death. 

As mayor, Wheeler was instrumental in the construction of Kansas City International Airport, and the older downtown airport is named after him. 

He also served one term in the Missouri Senate from 2003 to 2007. 

Charles Wheeler was 96.