Patti Wheeler

Patti Wheeler (born October 1940 in Wilsonville, Mississippi; died February 18, 2012) was a radio personality, co-host of the long-running Patti and the Doc with Doc Atkinson for 14 years and Patti and Dollar Bill with Bill Lawson for 16 years.

Wheeler graduated high school in Saskatchewan, Canada and completed a degree in journalism at the University of Alabama and began her career in public relations and advertising. She began her radio career at WJLD-FM, but got her break as a morning-show co-host with Atkinson at WZZK-FM in 1979. She quickly became a popular morning fixture, known for her humor and frankness. "Patti and the Doc" earned top ratings, and success continued with "Dollar Bill" Lawson following Atkinson's death in 1993.

With Wheeler planning to retire, Lawson moved their top-rated show to WDXB-FM in 2002. She soon re-joined him. Wheeler finally retired following her November 21, 2008 show and moved to Panama City, Florida to be closer to her mother.

Wheeler had been married seven times; to Chico Gale in 1963, then to a French citizen, again to Gale, then to disc jockey Steve Norris, then to plumber Tim Sullivan, actor Steven Sutherland, and, in 1989 to Stan Daugherty, who left her a widow in 2006. She died at UAB Hospital following surgery to remove brain tumors in 2012.

References

• Kemp, Kathy (August 2004) "Patti Wheeler profile". Birmingham News
• Carlton, Bob (August 26 2008) "Patti Wheeler leaving 'The Bull'; plans to retire." Birmingham News
• Harvey, Alec (February 18, 2012) "Longtime Birmingham radio host Patti Wheeler dies." Birmingham News