Individual Details

NAPA, CALIF. -- Clyde Wise passed away peacefully at home in Napa, Calif., on Thursday, March 18, 2004. He is survived by Martha Ann, his wife of 47 years; son and daughter-in-law Ross and Eva Wise of Sacramento; daughter Shellie Walker Roodt of San Francisco; sister Alva LaRue, nephew Kelly LaRue and niece Mary LaRue of El Paso; niece Maureen (Fred) McClain of Sanger, Texas; niece Erin LaRue of Austin; and numerous cousins, great nephews, and nieces. He was dearly loved by his family and friends, and will be greatly missed.
Clyde was born in Brownwood on July 13, 1930, to Legal Tender (Smith) Wise and Ivan Clyde Wise. He attended elementary, junior high and high schools in Texas, graduating in Fort Worth in 1948. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in May, 1951, serving at various bases in Texas, Colorado, California and in Korea. He was honorably discharged in August, 1956. He and Martha Ann (Germany) married on Sept. 6, 1956, in Waco. They moved to El Paso where Clyde enrolled at Texas Western College (now the University of Texas, El Paso) to attend school on the GI Bill. Clyde received his BA and MA degrees from Texas Western College in 1959 and 1962 respectively.
He began his teaching career in 1960 in Anthony, N.M., where he taught social studies at Gadsden High School. After moving to Napa, Clyde taught U. S. History, Government and Economics first at Napa High School then later at Vintage High School. He also taught noon-time mini courses in backpacking, and led numerous wilderness trips for Vintage High School students. Clyde was a teacher, mentor, father figure and friend to many of his students from 1960 through 1989 when he retired.
Clyde was an active member of the Sierra Club, serving as a hike leader and conservation committee chair of the Redwood Chapter for several years. He was involved in many Northern California conservation projects that established wilderness areas and parks. In later years he became active in the California Native Plant Society, leading wildflower walks as an amateur botanist. He and Martha were also members and supporters of The Land Trust of Napa County, Friends of the Napa Library, Friends of the Napa River, California Wilderness Coalition, and other environmental organizations.
The family requests memorial contributions to The Land Trust of Napa County, 1040 Main Street, Suite 203, Napa CA 94559; the Napa Valley Chapter California Native Plant Society, c/o Skyline Wilderness Park, 2201 Imola Avenue, Napa CA 94558; or Friends of the Napa Library, 580 Coombs Street, Napa CA 94559.
A celebration of Clyde's life will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 22, at the Skyline Wilderness Park social hall in Napa.

Find a Grave Memorial 49542606 Burial unknown

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Birth	13 Jul 1930	Brownwood, Brown County, Texas
Census (family)-shared	15 Apr 1940	(Ivan Clyde Wise and Legal Tender Smith) San Angelo, Tom Green County, Texas
Marriage	6 Sep 1956	Waco, McLennan County, Texas - Living
Residence	1 Dec 1993	Napa, Napa County, California
Death	18 Mar 2004	Napa County, California

Spouse	Living
Child	Living
Child	Living

Father	Ivan Clyde Wise (1891 - 1954)
Mother	Legal Tender Smith (1895 - 1984)
Sibling	Robert Curtis Wise (1918 - 1920)
Sibling	Alva Estele Wise (1920 - 2010)

Notes