Posted by Randy Watters [2bithonky] on November 18, 1999 at 08:30:35 {KEdmzBXaT6IxV2.t9WvYQNyTO0grzY}:
In Reply to: ***Suicide of bethel worker?? posted by AF on November 18, 1999 at 07:58:56:
You are referring to Richard Wheelock, who was my overseer in the factory for some years. He jumped out of a factory window if I remember, but I don't think it was due to the death of his wife. He had had severe depressive bouts for several years. He was kind in person, but was often very strict with the pressroom boys. We called him "wheels" and he was one of the top three in the factory, along with Calvin Chyke and Max Larsen. We rejoiced when he was transferred up to the eighth floor of the factory. When I left, Tom Cabeen was pressroom overseer over all book printing, and I was appointed Tom's assistant the day before I left. :-))
Shows you how much I wanted this job. LOL
Actually there were quite a number of suicides over the years. Tom Hagan was another who worked on my floor and I was his overseer. He was a great kid, but he left Bethel and later killed himself. Bethel keeps such things quite, of course. Very sad. I wouldn't so much blame the Society for most of them, but with so many lonely young guys under such pressure it was sometimes tough.