Kyle Wheeler/Photo by Jim O’Donnell
Editor’s note: Kyle Wheeler is one of three 2026 Los Alamos Living Treasures, along with John Ruminer and Linda Daly
BY CRAIG MARTIN
Los Alamos Living Treasures
Kyle Wheeler has been volunteering in Los Alamos almost since the day she arrived in town in 1953.
“When I was eight, my dad was running for the County Commission, my mom was campaigning for John F. Kennedy, and I went with her to knock on doors while I wore a JFK straw hat and had on one of my dad’s campaign buttons,” Kyle recalled.
Her mother was invited to Kennedy’s inauguration, and Kyle proudly displays the framed invitation on a wall in her home. It is safe to say that politics and public service have been part of Kyle’s life from a very young age.
That commitment to community service still burns brightly in Kyle, even after decades of volunteering on the County Council, the Charter Review Committee, the Transportation Board, and many other organizations.Kyle attributes her dedication to volunteerism to growing up in Los Alamos. Born in Massachusetts, she moved to Los Alamos when she was two and was surrounded by adults who devoted their free time to improving life in the young community.
Her father, Robert Thorn, was instrumental in establishing Pajarito Mountain Ski Area.
“My dad did so much on the ski hill, recruiting his friends and neighbors to join him. My friend’s mother was on the school board, others were looking for recreation were doing whatever they could to build it or get it established,” Kyle said. “So I saw a lot of people volunteering to do a lot of stuff. That’s sort of what I was interested in doing, too.”
After growing up skiing, Kyle chose the University of Utah for college, where she jokes that she “majored in skiing.” After a few years as a ski bum, she gave sunny California a try, working for a nonprofit organization.
Kyle returned to Los Alamos in 1978, intending to leave again soon to explore Europe. While working at Los Alamos National Laboratory to make some money, however, her plans changed. In 1982, she married Mike Wheeler and became a stepmother to his two children. She remembers thinking, “Why am I doing this? This was the one big thing where my heart overruled my brain.” More than 40 years later, Kyle and Mike are still sharing adventures together. In 1988, despite an already busy life, Kyle was persuaded by the local Democratic Party to run for Los Alamos County Council. When a local radio announcer asked her, “Why on earth are you doing this?” she replied:
“I’ve been a citizen of this county most of my life, and I feel like it’s something I can contribute to the community I grew up in. This is a citizen-run government, right? And you shouldn’t have to have some special thing other than some good common sense and willingness to do the job.”
Kyle served two 2-year terms.
Her father, who had served on the old County Commission, had warned her: “Well, when you’re on council, you’re going to learn all kinds of stuff you never thought you ever wanted to know, and maybe way more detail than you ever thought possible.”
Kyle ran for council on a platform that included creating a recycling program in Los Alamos. Many people in town, including some of her fellow councilors, thought the program would be too much for such a small community, but Kyle persisted. Her fellow councilors listened to her thoughtful arguments, and the recycling program was approved. It continues today. She was also a strong advocate for revitalizing the public health office.
“It was in a scary basement office in the hospital at the time, and I could imagine how intimidating going there could be for a young person in high school,” Kyle explained. “A lot of the older councilors didn’t think of things like that. That’s why I think having a diverse council is a good thing.”
After losing her campaign for a third two-year term by fewer than 10 votes, Kyle continued to volunteer. She has served two terms on the Transportation Board over the years, where she advocated for improved bike lanes, better walkways, and safer roads.
Never far from politics, Kyle remained active in the Democratic Party. She served as the local party treasurer and helped tutor candidates on how the county government works, the nuances of the Los Alamos community, and how to run a campaign.
Despite frequent travels around the country and the world with Mike, Kyle’s contributions to Los Alamos have continued. She has been a member of the League of Women Voters for many years but never served in leadership roles, saying she is “too partisan.” She is also a dedicated member of the Board of Registration, helping ensure that the county’s elections run smoothly and fairly.
Kyle has volunteered with the Pajarito Environmental Education Center and worked after retirement for the Bradbury Science Museum. She is a founding member of the Los Alamos Community Foundation, and she and Mike are major contributors to improvements in Historical Society, particularly to the restoration of the Oppenheimer house.
For over 10 years, Kyle was a driving force on the board of Living Treasures of Los Alamos. Her attention to detail helped ensure that each year’s community nominations were thoroughly vetted and that the board made its difficult selection of just three new Living Treasures. She wrote biographies and served as the emcee at ceremonies. She also helped ensure that the annual recognition ceremony went smoothly, even during the challenging year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I would say that almost everybody I met doing volunteer work was interesting and great to work with, so I’m still doing volunteer work,” Kyle said. “There have been a lot of people who have done a lot of good things and helped the county create a stronger community, and I like to think that I was a little cog in that wheel.”