Obituary for Joseph D. Wise
Joseph Donald Wise of Louisville, 90, passed away Thursday, December 3, 2020.
He was born May 22, 1930 to Minnie and Garland Wise, and was preceded in death by his parents, and his beloved and only sister, Velma Robertson.
He grew up in Highland Park where he was motivated as a young boy to succeed, and worked several jobs. He was a grocery delivery boy, a soda clerk, a caddie for L&N golf course, a shoe repair boy, and worked at Gamble Bros. furniture company with his father. In his free time, he would go to the racetrack where he became an excellent handicapper.
He went to St. Xavier High School where he was captain of the baseball team, and went on to graduate from the University of Louisville where he studied engineering. He married Imelda May Kempf 67 years ago on December 26,1953.
After being drafted in the Army he qualified for officer's training school, and was a distinguished military graduate finishing as a lieutenant. He served three years in the Army with his initial assignment as Assistant Commandant of the NCO academy in Germany. After coming home from Germany with 2 babies in tow, he set his eye on GE and went on to serve in the Army reserve for 20 years, retiring as major.
He worked at GE for 24 years as an engineer with the refrigeration division retiring as a building manager. He went on to work in manufacturing for Singer Furniture and Raytheon in Atlanta, Columbus, and South Carolina before retiring.
He continued his love for handicapping the horses, and was an avid golfer in retirement; not a scratch golfer, but there is a closet full of lucite and glass bowls from his winnings.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children DeAnn Kirgan, Connie Metzler (Bob), Vennie Brotzge (Joe), and David Wise (Vicki); four grandchildren, Melissa Metzler (Jon Davis), Mary Crae Brotzge, Amanda (Jason) Schreck, Leslie (Ian) Fielding; six great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son-in-law, Donnie Kirgan, and his grandchild, Heather Kirgan Ross.
A funeral Mass will be held at Holy Family Church, 3938 Popular Level Road, at 10:00 a.m., Friday, December 11, 2020. Visit the Highlands Funeral Home website at www.highlandsfuneralhome.com to post memories and expressions of sympathy on Mr. Wise's Memory Wall.
Gifts of remembrance can be made to Ronald McDonald House, Dementia Society of America, or Parkinson’s Foundation.
He was born May 22, 1930 to Minnie and Garland Wise, and was preceded in death by his parents, and his beloved and only sister, Velma Robertson.
He grew up in Highland Park where he was motivated as a young boy to succeed, and worked several jobs. He was a grocery delivery boy, a soda clerk, a caddie for L&N golf course, a shoe repair boy, and worked at Gamble Bros. furniture company with his father. In his free time, he would go to the racetrack where he became an excellent handicapper.
He went to St. Xavier High School where he was captain of the baseball team, and went on to graduate from the University of Louisville where he studied engineering. He married Imelda May Kempf 67 years ago on December 26,1953.
After being drafted in the Army he qualified for officer's training school, and was a distinguished military graduate finishing as a lieutenant. He served three years in the Army with his initial assignment as Assistant Commandant of the NCO academy in Germany. After coming home from Germany with 2 babies in tow, he set his eye on GE and went on to serve in the Army reserve for 20 years, retiring as major.
He worked at GE for 24 years as an engineer with the refrigeration division retiring as a building manager. He went on to work in manufacturing for Singer Furniture and Raytheon in Atlanta, Columbus, and South Carolina before retiring.
He continued his love for handicapping the horses, and was an avid golfer in retirement; not a scratch golfer, but there is a closet full of lucite and glass bowls from his winnings.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children DeAnn Kirgan, Connie Metzler (Bob), Vennie Brotzge (Joe), and David Wise (Vicki); four grandchildren, Melissa Metzler (Jon Davis), Mary Crae Brotzge, Amanda (Jason) Schreck, Leslie (Ian) Fielding; six great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son-in-law, Donnie Kirgan, and his grandchild, Heather Kirgan Ross.
A funeral Mass will be held at Holy Family Church, 3938 Popular Level Road, at 10:00 a.m., Friday, December 11, 2020. Visit the Highlands Funeral Home website at www.highlandsfuneralhome.com to post memories and expressions of sympathy on Mr. Wise's Memory Wall.
Gifts of remembrance can be made to Ronald McDonald House, Dementia Society of America, or Parkinson’s Foundation.