Archie L. Wise, 75, Racine, a town of Guenther in Marathon County native and the brother of two Portage County residents, died Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, after a yearlong battle with pneumonia and respiratory failure.
A Memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, at St. Rita of Cascia Catholic Church in Racine. Internment with military honors will follow the Mass in the Holy Cross Cemetery at Racine.
Visitation will be at the church from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
Memorials can be made to the Two Lives One Heart Foundation at www.twolivesoneheart.com in lieu of flowers.
Purath-Strand Funeral Home in Racine assisted with arrangements. Condolences may be offered online at www.purath-strand.com.
Mr. Wise was born March 30, 1937, in the town of Guenther in Marathon County, a son of the late Joseph and Clara (Anker) Wise.
He was married to RoseMarie Grezenski on Aug. 19, 1961.
He served in the U.S. Air Force at the end of the Korean War.
He worked at American Motors (AMC) and Chrysler for 30 years, retiring in 1988.
He was a member of St. Rita Parish and the American Legion Post 310 of Racine.
He was a 15-year survivor of a heart and kidney transplant, sharing his life, stories and many volunteer hours with the Kidney Foundation and the “Got Your Dot” campaign for organ donation. He was a member of Team Wisconsin at the Transplant Games.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Carl (Laura), Franklin, and Kurt (Berdell), Racine; two daughters, Cindy (Dave) Kontowicz, Midland, Texas, and Sheryl Wise, Racine; sisters, Viola Cisewski, Mosinee, Wilma Fink, Chetek, Marie Iczkowski, Rosholt, Alice (Ben) Obremski, Stevens Point, and Stella (Tom) Lewandowski, Mosinee; and three grandchildren.
He was also preceded in death by two brothers, LeRoy Charles; and two sisters, Sarah Hulsart and Leona McCartney.
