RESEARCH FINDINGS
As the ninth year of publication of the Wiser Newsletter
comes to a close, I want to thank each of you who help me in this large family
history project. First, I would like to
thank Robert Raymond who posts all of the Wiser Newsletters on the web at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~raymondfamily/wiser/. Next, a big “thank-you” to all of
those of you who have helped in our research on the web, at libraries, on trips
to New York,
etc. I believe that in the last few
years we have made some significant progress in finding additional information
on our Wiser ancestry. I look forward to
the future as more and more records are discovered and become more easily
accessible with the help of the internet and indexes. Sometimes, I just wish that we had some of
this information thirty years ago, so we could have talked to family members
who have now passed away. I hope that in
the not too far future, we as a family might consider a DNA study of the
various lines to see how all fit in.
Happy New Year-Ron Wiser
OBITUARIES
Please
accept our condolences to those who recently lost family members. There are a few older obituaries which I just
recently found.
Laconia, NH Citizen, 19 Oct 2004; BRIDGEWATER
[NH]- Mary Elizabeth Torsey, 85, of Bridgewater Hill, died Oct. 16,
2004, in Speare Memorial Hospital, in Plymouth. Born in Bridgewater on Oct. 17,
1918, she was the daughter of Everett and Ina (Wiser) [ancestry to Benjamin
Wiser; her father, Elmer P. Wiser, Norman Wiser, Solomon Wiser, Benjamin Wiser
Jr., Benjamin Wiser] Atwood. She grew up in Bridgewater and resided here most all of her
life. She graduated from Ashland
High School, Class of
1936. She was a member of the Ashland United Methodist
Church, Ashland,
the Squam Lakes Grange 258, Ashland
and a past member of the Bridgewater Old Home Day Association. Survivors
include her husband of 64 years, Paul B. Torsey of Bridgewater; five children:
a son, Guy B. Torsey of Bridgewater, a daughter Mary T. Smith of Bridgewater, a
daughter Diane L. Strong of Campton, a son, Terry L. Torsey of Bridgewater, and
a daughter, Cynthia J. Beard of Bridgewater; 14 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren;
three great-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Thelma Dow of Canterbury and Ida
Prince of Ashland; nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a son, Stanley
Torsey, who died in 1960, a daughter, Elaine A. Davis, who died in 2002, a
brother, Donald Atwood and sister, Marjorie Ward. Calling hours will be held in
the Mayhew Funeral Home, 12
Langdon St., Plymouth,
on Tuesday, 7-9 p.m. A private funeral service will be held at the convenience
of the family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ashland United
Methodist Church, Washington St., Ashland,
NH 03217.
Salt Lake City, UT Tribune, 9 May 2004;
CLEARFIELD [UT] -James G. Weaver, 86, passed away Wednesday, May 5, 2004
at Pine View Rehab Center. James was born November 27, 1917 in Layton, Utah
to Christopher James Richard and Margaret Davinia Green Weaver. He lived in Layton during his
childhood. After graduating from Utah State University
with a degree in Economics and History, he moved to Clearfield. He worked for the State of Utah for 39 years. James
served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He was a member of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His family was the center of his life.
James enjoyed reading, watching football, listening to Western music and working
in his yard and assisting neighbors with their yard work. He is survived by his
wife, JoAnn [Wiser] [ancestry to Benjamin Wiser; her father, DeVon Glover
Wiser, George Harmon Wiser, John McCormick Wiser, Samuel Wiser, Benjamin Wiser]
; his daughter Cindy A. (John) Jenkins, and two grandchildren, Ben and Nathan
Humenberger, Layton, Utah. He was preceded in death by his
parents and 14 brothers and sisters. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, May
11, 2004 at 2 p.m. at the Lindquist's Layton Mortuary, 1867 N. Fairfield Road. Friends and
family may call Monday, from 6-8 p.m. and Tuesday 12:45-1:45 at the mortuary.
Interment, Lindquist's Layton
Memorial Park, where
Military Honors will be accorded. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to
Primary Children's Medical
Center. Send email
condolences to the family at llm@lindquistmortuary.com
Corydon IN Democrat, 11 Nov 2004; Elizabeth A. (Liz) Benton, 46,
Huntingburg, died at 4:12 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, 2004, at Deaconess Hospital in
Evansville from complications due to pulmonary fibrosis for which she was on
the lung transplant list. A native of Jasper, born June 21, 1958, she was the
daughter of Leo J. Mehringer of Jasper and the late Marilyn Brames Mehringer.
She was a former family nutrition program assistant through the Purdue
University Cooperative Extension Service, and a member of St. Mary's Catholic
Church, St. Mary's Ladies Sodality, the Dubois County,
Town and Country Home Extension Club, and the American Sewing Guild at
Huntingburg. Survivors besides her father include her husband of 25 years, John
M. Benton [ancestry to Benjamin Wiser, his father, Leo George Benton, George
Washington Benton, Aaron Jones Benton, Mariam Elis Wiser Benton, James Wiser,
Samuel Wiser], formerly of Corydon; two sons, Nick Benton of Evansville and
Andy Benton at home; three sisters, Ruth Jarboe, Kris Giesler and Diane
Lindauer, all of Jasper, and three
brothers, Jim Mehringer of Cincinnati, Bob Mehringer of Schnellville and Bernie
Mehringer of Greenwood. Parish rosary followed by a Ladies Sodality prayer
service: Sunday, Nov. 7, at Nass & Son Funeral Home in Huntingburg.
Funeral: Monday, Nov. 8, at St. Mary's Catholic Church with burial in the
church cemetery. The family suggests memorial gifts to her church or the Indiana
Organ Procurement Organization.
San
Gabriel Valley CA Tribune, 2 Nov 2004; Esther O. Fidler [ancestry to
Benjamin Wiser, her father, Arthur Eugene Maxwell, Annetta Prudence Adams
Maxwell, Temperance M. Wiser Adams, Samuel Wiser, Benjamin Wiser], age 93
of Glendora, CA. Died Oct. 27, 2004 in Victorville, CA.
A retired bookkeeper, she was born on Jan. 16, 1911 in Aredale,
Iowa and a Glendora community resident for the past 40
years. She is survived by: Daughter-in-law, Jacklyn Palik of Pinon Hills, CA.
Granddaughter Devon Fritsch and her husband Geoff of Hesperia, CA. Grandson
Steven Fidler and his wife Shawn of Tehachapi, CA. Grandson Ralph B. Palik of Pinon Hills, CA.
Two sisters, Avis Ott of Greene, Iowa and Fern Daiker of Santa Ana, CA. Ten
great-grandchildren; Justin White, Amanda Havet, Lacey Havet Timmons, Gregory
Fidler, Ashley Fidler, Kaitlyn Fidler, Amanda Fritsch, Andrea Fritsch, Austin
Fritsch and Levi Havet. Graveside services will be held 11:00 a.m. November 2,
2004 at Oakdale Memorial Park, Glendora, CA. Oakdale Mortuary in Glendora is in
charge of arrangements.
Chris
LeWayne Looslie, 46, of Idaho
Falls, died January 13, 2004 at his home of natural
causes. He was born November 7, 1957 in Salt
Lake City, the son of Larry and Donna Cook Looslie. He
lived in Idaho Falls most of his life, and
graduated from Skyline
High School in 1976. He
was married to Lori Ann Merrill of Idaho
Falls, and they had one son Caleb Lee Looslie. They
were later divorced. He was employed at Agparts of Idaho Falls for many years.
Where he worked as a welder/fabricator. He was a member of First Baptist
Church. He enjoyed
fishing, reading, target shooting, and was an avid welder. Chris was loved and
well thought of by his friends, co-workers, and family; especially his niece
and nephew Latavia and Axle Looslie. He is survived by his son; Caleb Lee
(Jennifer) Looslie of Idaho Falls; his parents: Larry and Donna Looslie of Idaho Falls; his brother: Curtis (Arlene) Looslie of Idaho
Falls; his sister: Cassie Kay Looslie of Boise;
his grandmother: Katherine Looslie of Rupert, Idaho; his significant other; Karen Keyes of Idaho Falls. Preceded in
death by his maternal grandparents William and Joye Cook and paternal
grandfather Marvin Looslie [ancestry to Benjamin Wiser, his mother, Minnie
Lucinda Cunningham Loosli, Mary Olive Wiser Cunningham, John McCormick Wiser,
Samuel Wiser, Benjamin Wiser].
Memorial Services will be held at a later date.
Heyburn, ID Times-News, 15 Dec 2003; Ted Devon Smith, 55, of Heyburn, passed away Thursday, Dec.
11,
2003,
at Saint Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake
City, Utah, from
complications following heart surgery.
He was born
March
28, 1948, in Cornish, Utah, the son of DeVon [his
ancestry to Benjamin Wiser, his mother, Ada
Wiser
Smith,
George Harmon Wiser, John McCormick Wiser, Samuel Wiser, Benjamin Wiser] and Dorothy
Leavitt
Smith. At the age of four, he moved to
Heyburn, where he attended Minidoka County Schools. As a boy
he
enjoyed 4-H and FFA. He helped his dad
haul milk and worked at the family dairy.
He married Leann King
on Nov.
14, 1966, and they had four children together.
He worked at Big-O Tire Company and at age 19, he got
his big
break, Handy Truck Line gave him a chance to prove himself and they were never
disappointed. He drove
for
them for 13 years accident free. At that
time his priorities changed and he began farming, so that he could spend more
time with his family and teach his children a strong work ethic by working
side-by-side with them. The most
important thing in the world to Ted was his family. As his children married he welcomed their
spouses with open arms and was the world’s greatest grandfather. He continued farming until last year when he
returned to his first love, driving truck for Rocky Mountain Agronomics. He is survived by his parents of Paul; his
loving wife, Leann Smith of Heyburn; his children, Staci (David) Joyce and
Steve (Dawn) Smith of Rupert, Brent (Kristi) Smith and Jolynne (Tyler) Stoke of
Burley; his grandchildren, Kendra, Christopher, and Tiffany Joyce, and Braxton
Stoker; three sisters, Marily (Ron) Buttars of Woods Cross, Utah, Carolyn
(Jerry) Konrad and Jean Neibaur both of Burley; his brother, David (Jeannie)
Smith of Burley; and many beloved nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his
brother-in-law, Darwin Neibaur. Ted will
be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.
The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2003, at the Paul
Third and Fourth Ward Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
300 S. 500 W., Heyburn, with Bishop Kay Catmull officiating. Burial will be in Paul Cemetery. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, at
Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th
St., Burley, and from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, at
the church. The family suggest that
memorials be directed to the Ted Smith Trust Fund in care of D.L. Evans Bank.
POSTSCRIPT
Thanks
for any suggestions in regards to our family newsletter. Please contact me at 
or at 6 Baton Rouge, Roswell,
NM 88201, or at (505) 623-2534. Please
note that my e-mail address has changed.