Nancy is raising this fundraiser in memory of Coach Leola Wheeler for Leola’s daughter, Marlene “Marti” Wheeler, and the Capital High School community that loved her so much. Coach Wheeler passed away peacefully on July 22 after a long battle with COPD. She was a beloved teacher, coach, and leader at Capital High School in Olympia, Washington, where she taught from 1976 to 2001, coached Girls Gymnastics, and became the school’s first female Athletic Director. Leola’s impact reached far beyond titles and awards, though she was honored with induction into the WSGCA Coaches Hall of Fame in 2007 for her contributions to gymnastics. To generations of students, athletes, and families, she was a steady presence, a mentor, and someone who helped make the school feel like home.

Leola cared deeply about Capital High School and the spaces that brought students together. After helping rebuild the gymnasium following a flood in the 1980s, she continued to pour her heart into the school community for decades. One thing Leola always wanted was a bench by the tennis courts, a simple but meaningful place for students, families, and neighbors to gather. This fundraiser will help install two all-weather benches near the tennis courts, along with a small memorial plaque honoring Coach Wheeler’s contributions to the school and community. Please consider giving and sharing this fundraiser with former students, friends, and neighbors. Every act of support will help create a lasting place where Marti and the Capital High School community can remember Coach Wheeler and the legacy of care, strength, and dedication she leaves behind.