Jimmy Dean Wise

Jimmy Dean Wise was born January 9, 1929 in Fairbury, Nebraska.  He was the second child of Zina L. Wise and Sybil M. Mitchell Wise.  He died at Fairbury on November 24, 2017 at the age of 88.

Jimmy was baptized into the Christian faith at the First Methodist Church in Fairbury on Easter Sunday in 1940.  He attended schools in Fairbury, kindergarten through grade twelve, and graduated from Fairbury High School in 1947.  He later attended the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.  He was married to Leatrice Kay Johnson on December 28, 1948 at the First Christian Church in Fairbury.

During his working life Jimmy was a U.S. Marine, a Nebraska State Patrolman and a Supervisor of Customer Services for United Airlines.  Mr. and Mrs. Wise lived in California, North Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota and several locations in Nebraska.

He was a member of the A.F. & A.M., American MENSA and the Sons of the American Revolution.  During his younger years he enjoyed hunting and hiking.  He was an avid fan of high school and college wrestling and other martial arts.

Jimmy was preceded in death by his mother, father and brother John.

He is survived by his wife Leatrice of Fairbury, son Eric Wise of Fairbury, daughter Elizabeth Wise and her husband John Gray of Sabetha, Kansas and Grandson Caleb W. Gray and his wife Victoria Rifenbark of Carthage, Missouri.  He is also survived by several nieces and nephews and many cousins.

Services will be Saturday, December 9, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at the United Methodist Church – Hested Lee Chapel in Fairbury.  Cremation has taken place and burial will be at a later date.