A warm welcome from
Jean and Gerald Wheeler, Innkeepers

 We hope to see you soon! 

We are pleased to be active members of the Deer Isle and Blue Hill communities, and delighted that one of our eight adult children has joined us on the island, 

About Jean

Jean complements her innkeeping by taking distinctive pictures of the uniquely beautiful Maine coast. Her favorites hang on the Inn walls and are available for purchase. She came “home” to Deer Isle by way of the seashore village of Bellport, Long Island, New York where she grew up, and Vail, Colorado, Atlanta, Georgia, Pittsburgh and Ligonier, Pennsylvania, and Montreal, Quebec where she lived for 20 years and met Gerald.

Visit Jean Wheeler photography

Jean swims in the ocean in front of the house during summer and fall, enjoys invigorating sessions in her scull or rowboat on calm mornings or evenings, and sailing as often as time permits - she will tell you that there is salt water flowing in her veins ! During the winter months she is a full time Children's Specialist ski coach at Sugarloaf, Maine. She is a past President of the Deer Isle-Stonington Chamber of Commerce as well as The Island Heritage Trust., and presently serves on the Board of Directors of Maine Coast Heritage Trust. Most importantly, she would say, she is a mother of four and grandmother to eighteen. Jean attended Northfield School, Syracuse University, University of Pittsburgh, McGill University and Montreal's Thomas More Institute.

About Gerald

Gerald was born and raised in England, receiving his musical training at the Royal College of Music, London, where he studied piano, organ, theory and composition. His teachers included Harold Darke and Herbert Howells. He graduated in 1952 with diplomas in piano performing and teaching, and in 1956 received a Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists. In 1996 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Theology by the Diocesan Theological College in Montreal. Jean is certain there is music flowing in Gerald's veins!

In 1953, Gerald was appointed assistant sub-organist of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, and was in charge of all its music during the choir’s post-Coronation tour of North America. In 1956 he accepted the position of organist at St. Matthew’s in Ottawa, Ontario, where he remained for nine years. In 1965, Gerald became Director of Music at Christ Church Anglican Cathedral in Montreal, Quebec, a post he held for 31 years.

In 1996, he accepted the position of Director of Music at St. Francis by the Sea Episcopal church in Blue Hill, Maine, where he oversaw the 2001 installation of a new 2-manual mechanical organ built by the Montreal builder Karl Wilhelm, Inc. Always inspired to keep playing, Gerald has retired three times: From St. Francis in 2004, from the First Congregational Church in Blue Hill in 2019, and most recently from the Deer Isle Congregational Church in 2020.

Gerald played 31 years with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and McGill Chamber Orchestra internationally, and has more recently acted as interim organist and choir director for cathedrals and churches in Washington, DC, Buffalo, NY, and Boston, MA. He often plays piano recitals on his Steinway at the Inn. Other fine musicians join him several times a year for ( donations for local causes ) concerts at the Inn and in other venues in the area.