Robert P. James, Homer Pioneer homesteader, passed to his rest on Monday, Jan. 26, 2015 — his 89th birthday. A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5, at Homer Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 210 E. Pioneer Ave. Full obituary to follow.
Frank M. Wise
Frank M. Wise, was born August 1930 in Seminole, Okla. to Rufus Earl and Alice Jackman Wise. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Janelle Collins, and brothers Bobby Dale Wise, Ray Nolan Wise, Donald Wise, Harold Wise and Leo Wise.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Cora Mae, and five children: Richard and Eileene Wise, Nilane and John Lasko, Katherine Wise, Nathan and Virginia Wise and John and Lisa Wise.
Grandchildren include: Stephanie and Jeremy Young; Marty and Joni Wise; Tina and Ash Moore; Matthew, Kady and Frankie Lasko; Sam Wise; Jessica Veldstra; Jake Wise; Janyce and Cameron Larrick; Josiah Wise; Cory Wolf, Brett, TJ and Sarah Wise.
Great grandchildren include: Reece and Brennen Young; Brianna, Devin, Camden, Layci and Andrea Wise; Maddie, Corbin and Gavin Moore; Isaac Lasko; Patrick, Rebekah, Daniel and Talia Veldstra; Tristyn and Franklin Larrick and Micah Wolf.
He is also survived by sister Roxie and Charles Fowler; brother Charles Richard and Doris Wise and many nieces and nephews.
Frank grew up in Broken Bow, Okla. and Horatio Texarkana, Ark. He was active in show horses, rodeo and horse training. He was a very independent adventurous soul known at ages 10 and 11 to take a horse and pack mule into the hills of Oklahoma to camp for the weekend. His horse Smoky would walk a mile on his hind legs with Frank on his back.
Frank joined the Navy in 1947. He experienced many adventures, including going to Adak and Kodiak. Frank met Cora Mae when she was 14 and working in an ice cream parlor. It started with a bet, a kiss and a slap, with “I’ll fix you, I’ll marry you young man.” Two years later in 1950, they married.
Three years into the marriage, Frank asked if Cora Mae was willing to move to Alaska. She said she would go anywhere for a year. Sixty-one years later, Cora is here to stay. Frank transferred from Red River Arsenal to Elmendorf in 1953. (He claims she didn’t ask to go home to Arkansas until a day after her year was up.)
After a year in Anchorage, in the summer of ‘54, they took a trip to Homer, saw Kachemak Bay and decided to move. Their years here have been an adventure. They bought the old George Dahlgren homestead on Crossman Ridge and then the Jake McLay homestead at the top of McLay Road.
In 1956, Frank worked for the FAA and territory of Alaska, then for the State of Alaska as airport manager in charge of many small airports in Alaska. He surveyed airfields all over Alaska after the 1964 earthquake to assess the damage.
In 1965, the family started commercial fishing on the F/V Icelander. In 1970, Frank built the F/V Kachemak Lady, and continued seining herring and salmon, pot shrimping, and long-line halibut fishing with an attempt at clam dredging as a family. Frank was part of the “Blue Fleet.”
In 1971, an injury changed what Frank could do. He fought pain the rest of his life, but still tried to do many things. In 1976, Frank was forced by his injury to retire from fishing and his sons took over.
Frank had many talents and worked hard to support his family. He worked for Jake McLay as a big-game guide, mostly for moose and bear at Ptarmigan Head in the Caribou Hills. He guided American and International hunters in fulfilling their dream hunts.
He worked for Arndt Brothers Construction all over Alaska. In Homer, he helped build the first phase of the sewer system. Frank worked as a longshoreman, tying up ships and dock work at the Homer Harbor. He worked for George Hamm building boats and running his shop. He learned how to use fiberglass, and used that knowledge to create other products he used in life.
Frank hunted moose and bear, and occasionally rabbit and squirrel locally for his own family freezer. He raised chickens, turkeys and rabbits by the hundreds, and had family “parties” to process meat for the freezer. A chicken-plucking party with an electric chicken plucker is hard to beat as a family bonding event.
Frank took up cooking for construction crews and worked for NOAA doing research in Alaska waters. He was also an avid gardener. He raised a huge garden every year with extra to share with those in need.
He raised large quantities of dahlias, gladiolus, lilies and anything that would grow and look beautiful in the yards and flowerbeds for Glacierview Baptist Church, until he was unable to do the work. In the fall, we would cut all the flowers, make arrangements and give them away so the bulbs could be dug up, cleaned and stored dry for the winter.
The bulbs were split to make more plants, and we had over $40,000 worth of dahlia bulbs at one point. It was a lot of work, but a beautiful reward enjoyed by the whole town. Many a morning — at 3 a.m. — you could drive by the church and see him watering the flowerbeds. He was up and they needed water.
Frank served as God’s servant in the church and ministry as long as he was physically able. He was a spiritual leader, working with youth, telling stories of “Molly the Moth.” He did repairs as necessary, taught Sunday school classes and worked in Awana. He cared daily for 20-plus Shetland ponies for Higher Ground Baptist Bible Camp at the old Gregoire homestead for many years, until the camp relocated in Sterling, Alaska.
Frank was involved with local youth groups and was active in the local ski club. He served as president of the PTA for several years.
Frank and Cora Mae always provided wonderful meals and used the home God gave them to house visitors and missionaries.
One missionary needed a break from the field in India, and stayed for six months (by invitation). At Rick’s graduation from seminary in Indiana, in an auditorium of 10,000 people, the speaker unexpectedly honored Frank and Cora Mae for their hospitality and generosity, he had been in our home. The Alcan was traveled many times over the years, with adventure on every trip.
Frank was a wonderful storyteller; the truth seemed fictional when told by Frank. His adventures are legendary. Every situation — no matter how difficult — eventually ended up with humor thrown into the mix. He tackled many things naturally that most of us would say could not be done.
He brought a D8 Cat off a remote frozen lake with a broken leg because his boss told him it needed to be done — but forgot about his leg. Frank had already successfully done the job by the time his boss called and said, “don’t worry about it, I forgot about your leg.”
Frank was a friend to anyone in need. If he saw a need and could provide help — even at a sacrifice to himself — he helped and never expected anything in return.
And then there was “Papaw.” Fishing and camping trips a zing wire in the backyard, an ice chute a little too fast and slick for the kids to sled down. He had a worm farm, where he paid his grandkids a penny for every two worms they brought him. He taught about life and how to fix any issue with ingenuity. He loved reading to the little ones and riding the old tractor while plowing the garden.
Everyday lessons of life became adventures with Papaw. He was patient, kind and loving — but firm. You always knew he loved God and you.
Frank lived a humble life, and was a Godly example. He will be missed by all the lives he touched.