WISE, JOHN F.
John F. Wise, 89, of Waukesha, died Thursday, March 30, 2006, at Waukesha Springs.
He was born in Waukesha Jan. 26, 1917, to Fredrick and Constance (nee Miller) Wise. He proudly served his country from 1940 to 1946 in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, surviving two battles at Bougainville, two battles at Guadalcanal and the bombing of Midway. On July 8, 1944 he married the former Verna Sanders in San Diego, Calif. He had been employed for 35 years at Wisconsin Natural Gas, retiring at age 62. He was a member of Carlson’s Raiders, a group of Marines who had an article published about them in Life magazine. In retirement, he was an avid artist who painted acrylic and oil scenes of farmlands throughout Wisconsin. He enjoyed hunting, especially whitetail deer, pheasants, ducks and rabbits. He loved to fish in open water and ice fishing. He was a lifelong Green Bay Packers fan.
He will be missed by his wife Verna of Waukesha along with their sons, John (Sandra Lee) Wise of Madison, William (Dee) Wise of Oconomowoc and son-in-law Peter Bach; dear grandfather of Jennifer (William) Kutsunis, Jeffrey (Elena) Wise, Christine (Franz) Michels, Sara, Alissa, Peter John Bach and Amber and Justin Wise; proud great-grandfather of George and Alexander Kutsunis, Ryan and Danielle Figon, Rachel Lee Wise, Joshua Michels, Grace and Ava. He is further survived by his sister, Ginny Miller, niece, Connie (Paul) Rowe and great nephews Paulie and Kevin, all of Bayfield, Mass., other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Mary Katherin Wise Bach, on July 16, 2000, and his brother Angelus Wise who died while serving in the U.S. Army during World War II in the Philippines in the Bataan Death March.
Visitation will be held today, April 3, 2006, from 10:00 a.m. until the noon funeral service at Randle-Dable Funeral Home, 1110 S. Grand Ave. Graveside services to follow at Prairie Home Cemetery. Memorials in John’s name are appreciated to American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, Greater Midwest Affiliate, Memorials and Tributes Lockbox, 3816 Paysphere Circle, Chicago, IL 60674 or Disabled American Veterans, Waukesha Chapter #5, 1984 Rambling Rose Road, Waukesha, WI 53186-2822.