Challenge
Balancing public legacy with private values
The Wheaton family name is known across Western Canada. As the largest General Motors merchandiser in the country — with dealerships from Nanaimo to Regina — their business legacy is unmistakable. But that kind of visibility comes with a paradox: the family itself is deeply private.
So when Don Wheaton Jr. approached us about documenting his parents’ story, it wasn’t for public display. It was a personal gift. He wanted to honour the business and philanthropic impact of his father, Don Sr., and the steady, loving partnership he shared with his wife, Marion. It was to be a tribute to both his parents — for family and close friends only.
What made the project more poignant was its timing. We began the writing process with veteran journalist Joanne Blain in 2010. Just over a year later, in December 2011, Don Sr. passed away. Suddenly, this wasn’t just a legacy-in-progress. It was a race to remember a man who had shaped his family and community for decades. Joanne now faced a sensitive new challenge: how to write with insight and intimacy about a person she could no longer speak to directly.
Solution
A quiet, richly illustrated memoir
From day one, we knew the tone of the book needed to reflect the Wheaton spirit: generous, dignified, understated.
To continue her research into Don Sr.’s life after his passing, Joanne travelled to Naples, Florida, to spend time with Marion, and conducted interviews with children, colleagues, and close friends across the country. She pored over family photos, handwritten letters, business records, and even the leather-bound diaries of Don’s father, deciphering notes in delicate script with a magnifying glass.
Her reporting resulted in Ever Loving: The Don and Marion Wheaton Story, a warm, richly illustrated hardcover memoir that traces their roots from small-town Saskatchewan to a coast-to-coast business empire.
The design reflects the intimacy of the story. Echo’s team chose quiet tones, heritage imagery, and minimalist typography to preserve the book’s privacy and polish. It’s a personal story, but one with cultural and historical reach. The final chapter distills the family’s philosophy for the next generation — a values-based roadmap built on loyalty, humility, and care.
Result
A legacy book to bond over and learn from around the dining table
The Wheaton family received the finished books in the fall of 2013. They were distributed at the flagship dealership on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton, and given as gifts to the extended family, long-time employees, and close family friends.
The project proved that you don’t have to choose between being discreet and being proud.
Ever Loving captured the essence of two extraordinary lives and the ripple effects of their love and leadership. It remains a touchstone for the 34 Wheaton grandchildren and counting.
As Don Jr. put it: “Whatever they do, hopefully they do it with integrity, enthusiasm and fun — those values we learned around the dining-room table.”
One more cool thing...
An ode to the prairies
The book doesn’t just capture the Wheaton legacy. It also tells the story of the prairie towns and business culture that shaped them.
Echo’s photo team searched the University of Saskatchewan archives, the Local History Room at the Saskatoon Public Library, and Library and Archives Canada to illuminate “Bridge City” and other places woven into Don and Marion’s early years.
Even the sourcing process was a family affair. One cousin in Nanaimo provided a treasure trove of diaries that added unexpected depth and colour.
Want to tell a story that respects the complexity?
If you liked this work, you’ll love these. We understand that telling your family’s story often involves a tension: how much to share, and with whom. We also know that sometimes the most important stories are the ones told just in time. If you’re navigating a business transition, family succession, or the recent loss of a loved one, we can help you create a memoir that holds it all with grace, insight, and the quiet confidence of a story well told.
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