Obituary of Howard Wise

Howard E. Wise ended a remarkable life Tuesday, October 14 at his beloved family farm on Penns Creek in Spring Mills. Born March 13, 1924 in Sykesville, Pa. to Fred W. and Sara Haines Wise, he grew up in the depression and learned hard work. He raised chickens and vegetables, peddled papers and store flyers, picked rocks, cleaned furnaces, ran a trapline and other odd jobs to earn money. He played football and participated in glee club, choir and FFA at Sykesville High School and spent many years as a Boy Scout culminating with a trip to the 1939 World's Fair on the communication staff. After graduation, Howard enrolled at Penn State Dubois in Nature Studies, before transferring to University Park in 1942 in Dairy Husbandry. He elected to enlist in the U.S. Army in December of 1942 and was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division at Camp Hale in Colorado with an elite ski troop preparing for the supposed invasion of Norway. After Colorado, Howard received Officers Candidate Schooling at Fort Benning, Georgia, was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division and in 1945 shipped out to support reparations near Bad Wildungen, Germany. He was offered a field commission as lieutenant to reenlist in 1946, but elected to discharge in order to finish his schooling. He re-enrolled under the GI Bill in 1946 and graduated from Penn State in Dairy Husbandry in 1948. During the summer of 1946 he discovered Spruce Manor, an abandoned CCC headquarters near Penfield, Pa. He spent several summers restoring that camp, and stayed there every year since including this summer, a span of over sixty-eight years. Upon graduation in 1948, he accepted a sales territory for the Ideal Clothing Company of Sykesville. After a very serious automobile accident in Michigan, Howard returned to Penn State a second time pursuing a Master in Agricultural Economics. In 1949, during a fortuitous walk through the Ag Arena on Curtin Road (now the Pavilion Theatre), Howard stopped to watch a young women preparing a Jersey cow for the upcoming Dairy Show. The young co-ed was Helen Dickerson; they soon made a date for the Kappa Delta spring formal and announced their engagement to be married in the Daily Collegian five days later. They were married at St. Paul's Methodist Church in State College on September 17, 1949 and just celebrated sixty five years together. In 1950, they relocated to Chester County where Howard worked in sales for Swift and Company. After two successful years, a sales opportunity opened with Allis Chalmers which allowed then to return to Centre County. They bought the farm known as Wipenn Hill Farm in 1952. Within several weeks, Allis Chalmers promoted Howard and asked him to move to another state. At that point, he left the uncertainty of sales and returned to Penn State to finish his Masters in Education and complete his teaching certificate. During this span, he ran a dairy operation of up to 70 cows, covered a sales territory part time for McCune and Company, completed his Masters degree and started a large family. In 1959, Howard began teaching the first of thirty classes of State High students in Pennsylvania history at the High School in Fairmont Avenue. With Helen also teaching Pennsylvania history, they both moved to the brand new State College Junior High (now the "South" building) in 1964. During the 1960's, Howard and Helen (along with Anne Riley and Joyce Lee teaching English) pioneered the concept of team teaching, the fore runner of the concept known today as interlocking curriculum. After he retired in 1989, Howard began his third or fourth career as volunteer and steward of the S.B. Elliot Park Visitor Center near Clearfield. He devoted every summer from 1990 to 2012 to countless hours of assistance, answering questions and dispensing of historical knowledge to Park visitors and guests. While there, he saw great potential in the under-used facility and personally organized the High Country Craft Show in 1994 and every July since. This show, which now sells out immediately remains one of the highest Park utilization days in all of Pennsylvania attracting over 4,000 each year and has been taken over as a permanent charitable fund raiser by local civic organizations. Howard twice received State Conservation Volunteer of the Year for his work at Elliot Park. Upon retirement, Howard and Helen very much enjoyed becoming Snow-birds and wintered each year at a special place in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Of course, the first year there, Howard recognized that the need for communication and coordination was not being properly addressed, so he organized the Pennsylvania Club. Growing to 100+ members, this Gulf Shores organization gathers all Pennsylvanians for activities, camaraderie and support during their winter stays in the South. Howard served as President and Communications Director for the first twenty years, only turning over his gavel two years ago. Howard is survived at home by his wife of 65 years, Helen Dickerson Wise, and three sons; Dan H. Wise (Kathleen) of Boalsburg, David. R. Wise (Nancy) of State College and Dirk F. Wise (Michelle) of Spring Mills, along with grandchildren Ryan (Bethany), Michael, Brett, Jennifer, Philip, Erin (Chad) and Connor and great grandchildren Hadley, Mason and Sydney. He was predeceased by his only brother Fred and one grandson, Jeremy. Howard was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Millheim for over sixty years, serving in many capacities including Council President and Building Chair. He served as Cubmaster of Pack 31 in State College for many years, was a member of the Alpha Zeta fraternity, Reynoldsville Elks, F&AM Reynoldsville Lodge. Howard especially enjoyed his magnificent gardens and flower boxes, beef cows, Penn's Creek, the Spruce Manor Lodge, reading, Penn State football, painting, his church, family and friends. Many will remember Mr. Wise teaching them about the Iroquois Nation in ninth grade history, others may recall Howard selling books from his corner spot in the Triangle Building at the Grange Fair for over twenty years, something he gave up only two years ago. Some will remember him taking tickets at Memorial Field or trying to get Cub Scout pack meeting quiet. Teacher, Farmer, Historian, Church Elder, Salesman, Painter, Author, Soldier, Gardener, Volunteer. Remarkable. Visitation will be from 5 until 8 p.m., on Friday, October 17, 2014 at Koch Funeral Home, 2401 South Atherton Street, State College. Memorial service will be at 2 p.m., on Saturday, October 18, 2014 at St. John Lutheran Church, 101 Mill Street, Millheim, with the Reverend Julia Sprenkle officiating. Memorial contributions can be made to the Renaissance Fund, 2 Old Main, University Park, 16802 or to St. John Lutheran Church, 101 Mill Street, Millheim, 16854. Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com.