William Wiseman's Obituary
William “Bill” F. Wiseman passed away on September 17, 2011 at the VA Medical Center in Memphis, TN. He is survived by his wife, Jean Bonney Wiseman; son, John Hunt Wiseman; daughter, Jean Elizabeth (Beth) Butler and her husband Hershel (Chip) Butler; as well as his sister Mary Ann Abrahms and her husband, Nathaniel Abrahms; one niece and three nephews. William enjoyed his four grandchildren; Mason and Garrett Butler and Jeff and Alyssa Wiseman. Bill was a graduate of Messick High School in Memphis, TN and subsequently enlisted in the Air Force in April of 1951 during Korean War. He received his service connected disability discharge in May 1953 and returned to Memphis. After completing a degree in Mathematics from the University of Memphis, Bill worked at the Southern School of Optometry. He also worked at the architectural firm of Wiseman, Bland, and Foster as a draftsman. Bill was a Lifetime Member of the West Tennessee Historical Society and is best known for the magnificent scale ship models he created and displayed in museums across the country. He won recognition in numerous international competitions over the years. He donated river boat plans to the Smithsonian Institute where they are available for other modelers to view and learn from. The most notable award he received was when he won the international competition in Greenwich, England at the Queen’s Museum. With his passing these works will be on permanent display at the Mariner’s Museum in Newport News, Virginia where he has had a model in the Age of Exploration Exhibit since 1993. In recent years he spent time counseling new spinal cord injury patients at the Memphis Veterans Hospital helping them make adjustments and offering counseling and comfort. He was also a diligent member of the Mid-South Paralyzed Veterans Association and received the “Volunteer of the Year” award in 2009 for his countless hours of dedication to the organization, its members and its mission. Other interests Bill had included building robots, finishing difficult jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, nature, and a great love of classical music. Memorial services will be held at Farmington Presbyterian Church 8245 Farmington Boulevard Germantown, TN at 2:00 p.m. on September 24, 2011 with a visitation beginning an hour before the service. Interment of ashes will be at Memorial Park in Memphis and will follow the memorial Service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests any memorials be sent to the Mid South Paralyzed Veteran of America at 1030 Jefferson Avenue, Room 2D100 Memphis, TN 38104; or Farmington Presbyterian Church designated for the William and Margaret Wiseman & Franklin Saxon Music Scholarship Fund at 8245 Farmington Boulevard, Germantown, TN 38139. Memorial Park Funeral Home, 5668 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN 38119, (901)767-8930, “Behind the Stone Wall”.
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