John Wise, Sr.

Mr. John C. Wise Sr., of Tampa, Florida, passed away on Sunday, August 15, 2021. Home Going Services will be held on Saturday, August 28, 2021, 1:00 p.m. at Connections Community Church, 2716 N. 34th Street, Tampa, FL 33605 with Elder Moore, officiating. (MASKS ARE REQUIRED). Interment to follow on Monday, August 30, 2021, 11:00 a.m. at Florida National Cemetery, 6502 SW 102nd Avenue, Bushnell, Florida 33513.

John Cebron Wise, Sr., was born on June 26, 1934 in Chattanooga, Tennessee to the union of Eugene Wise and Lena (Lennie Bell James) Wise Crutcher. Six weeks after birth, John and his family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where he attended grade school at Harriet Beecher Stowe and graduated from Woodward High School.

In 1952, John enlisted in the United States Navy. After completing boot camp in Bainbridge, Maryland, he served aboard the USS Trathen DD 530, and the USS St. Paul CA 73–the Atlantic and Pacific Fleet, for a total of four years. John also served in Korea, sailed through the Panama Canal, Mexico, Hawaii, Midway, Japan, Formosa, Hong Kong, Singapore, Colombo, Aden Arabia, The Red Sea, Suez Canal, Mediterranean Sea, and Athens, Greece. He resided in both Virginia and in Long Beach, California. After receiving an honorable discharge, he enlisted into the U.S. reserves out of Seattle, Washington.

John then returned to Ohio where he attended Central State College. After one year, he enlisted in the United States Air Force where he served 16 years (three years in Germany, one and a half years in Massachusetts, four years in Florida, three years in England, four years in Taiwan, and one year at Andrews AFB, Maryland). He was honorably discharged in 1973 as a Staff Sergeant. John returned to Florida with his family and worked thirty-two years for the U.S. Postal Service. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management and worked as a Teacher for three years after retiring from the U.S. Postal Service in 2006.

John met his wife, Hattie Marie Allen, while stationed at MacDill AFB in 1961 and they married in 1965. They had five children to this union.

John was very proud to serve his country. He was also a Notary for the State of Florida, a Certified Chaplin for the City of Tampa, a Chaplin for Joint Communication Support Element Veterans Association (JCSE-VA), a member of the Tampa Federation of Music, a member of the Barksdale Senior Citizens Center, a School Teacher, and a P.H.A. Master Mason.

John was preceded in death by his father, Eugene Edward Wise, Sr.; mother, Lena Wise Crutcher; and brother, Eugene E Wise, Jr.

He leaves to cherish endearing memories, his loving wife, Hattie; children, Debra Margret of California, Don Wayne Wise, Lynn Johnnetta Bennett, both of Tampa, John Cebron Wise (Andrea) of Orlando, and Lenard Wise of Atlanta; one brother, Maurice Crutcher (Susan) of Las Vegas, Nevada; sisters-in-law, Julia Bennett of Newark, New Jersey, and Veeda Wise of Columbus, Ohio; brother-in-law Doyle Austin; eight grandchildren, Yesenia Wise, Jordan Bennett, Don Wise, Jasmine Bennett, John Taylor Wise, Latrice Wise, Jada Wise, and Don (Don Don) Wise; eight great-grandchildren, four god-children, and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends.

The remains will repose from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, August 27, 2021 at Ray Williams Funeral Home, 301 N. Howard Avenue, Tampa. (MASKS ARE REQUIRED).

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