Zona Lorraine Wheeler, the daughter of Carl (1878-1931) and Caroline (Carls) Wheeler (1883-1974), grew up on the family farm near Bridgeport, Saline County, Kansas. Her parents developed the Wheeler Sudan crop species. Her mother taught her until 6th grade, when she went to public schools at Lindsborg in McPherson County, a short distance from Bridgeport. Zona attended Bethany Academy for high school and college, studying under painter Birger Sandzén and earning her bachelors in fine arts from Bethany in 1932.

Wheeler moved to Wichita, KS in 1934, during the Great Depression, to find work. Her first job there was with C.A. Seward of the Western Lithograph Company, where she learned about the printing industry and worked without salary; soon thereafter, she began the art department for Grit Printing Company and remained with Grit until 1943. When Grit was bought out by McCormick Armstrong, Wheeler accepted a position in their art department, the first woman artist to work there.

Wheeler remained with McCormick Armstrong until 1979, first as staff artist and later as art director. She received several awards for her design work there. In 1979 she opened her own independent studio and continued to receive awards and recognition for her work, which was displayed in single person, juried, and group showings. She worked in a variety of media, including painting, printmaking, and three dimensional mixed media works.

Zona Lorraine Wheeler died November 17, 1998 and was interred in Wichita near her parents.

[Information retrieved from Wichita Eagle obituary, November 1998, and notice of sale of Wheeler's art collection, dated 2001, in the collection accession file.]