James L. Wise

James (Jim) Lawrence Wise, 84, passed away on Sunday, April 30, at his home in DePere, Wisconsin. He was born on April 27, 1939 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Wesley and Lois Wise.

Jim attended Louis Corners Elementary School and graduated from Kiel High School in 1957. He attended the University of Wisconsin where he played in the UW marching band (2 years) and concert band (4 years) and was commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navy. Jim graduated in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 1962, he married the love of his life, Sandra (Sandy) Thiessen. They raised two children, Sherry and Mitch, and shared a life together for more than 59 years until Sandy’s death in 2021.

Jim spent six years active duty in the Navy, serving on the destroyer USS Falgout (DER 324) during the Vietnam War, with stations in California, Hawaii and North Carolina.

Following his naval service, Jim began a long and successful career as a mechanical engineer in the pulp and paper industry. He worked for decades with the Proctor and Gamble company including mills in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Albany, Georgia, and Cincinnati, Ohio. Jim then took on a new role as a consulting engineer, leading projects at facilities across the country and working with firms including Marathon Engineering, The Harris Group and, most recently, Baisch Engineering. Jim loved his work, and even after his declining health led him to retire just a few years ago, he was often heard to say “I’m still an engineer you know!”

He is survived by his daughter, Sherry Wise of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and his son, Mitch Wise (Debbie) of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin; sister Janice (Edgar) Jacobi of Northville, Michigan; sister-in-law Prudence (David) Casper of Plymouth, Wisconsin and Naples, Florida; sister-in-law Karen Thiessen of New Holstein, Wisconsin; grandchildren Elli and Benjamin Klosiewski; step-grandchild Alyssa (Matthew) Kneesel; step-great-grandchildren Alexis and Michael Kneesel; and many nieces, nephews, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Sandy, his brother Wesley Theodore, sister-in-law Sandy Wise, mother- and father-in-law Ethel and Edgar Thiessen, brother-in-law Terry Thiessen, and brother-in-law, Palmer Smith.

A celebration of Jim’s life will be held on Friday, May 12 at 3:00 p.m. with informal visitation at 2:00 p.m. at Union Congregational United Church of Christ, 716 S. Madison Street, Green Bay. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dr. Edgar Thiessen Scholarship Fund, Advancement Office, Lakeland University, W3718 South Drive, Plymouth WI 53073 or Disabled American Veterans Charitable Trust online giving at: https://donate.givedirect.org/?cid=779&n=816273.

The family wishes to thank the caregivers from Home Instead, for their loving care and kindness, and the nurses and CNAs from Unity Hospice.