To request a copy of this photo for your own personal use, please contact our state coordinator. If you are not a family member or the original photographer — please refrain from copying or distributing this photo to other websites.
Thank you for visiting the Arkansas Gravestone Photo Project. On this site you can upload gravestone photos, locate ancestors and perform genealogy research. If you have a relative buried in Arkansas, we encourage you to upload a digital image using our Submit a Photo page. Contributing to this genealogy archive helps family historians and genealogy researchers locate their relatives and complete their family tree.
Submitted: 10/26/10 • Approved: 11/16/21 • Last Updated: 11/19/21 • R398570-G0-S3
Aug 14,1938-Jan 18,2008
Robert Coleman Wise, of Clarksville, Arkansas, was born August 14, 1938, at home in Peak's Mill, near Frankfort, Kentucky. He died January 18, 2008, in Little Rock, Arkansas, after a lengthy battle with leukemia. Growing up in rural Kentucky, he graduated midterm 1957 from Peak's Mill High School and immediately enlisted in the United States Air Force. Soon after enlistment, he served with the Air Force Drill Team in Washington, D.C., escorting Senator and Mrs. Estes Kefauver at the Inauguration festivities for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, as well as honoring fallen heroes in funerals at Arlington National Cemetery. He later cross-trained into Aircraft Fuel Systems and Mechanics, serving in Ohio, Florida, Alaska, Oklahoma and Arkansas. His overseas assignments included Greenland, Nova Scotia, and, during the Vietnam era, Thailand, the Philippine Islands, and Japan. He earned the Air Force Commendation medal and Oak Leaf Clusters. He retired as a Master Sergeant in 1977, serving 21 years, 6 mo, and 21 days. He "retired" to Johnson County,Arkansas, raising registered Beefmaster cattle at Ludwig, chickens at Harmony, repeatedly earning Top Producer honors for his efforts. He owned Good Guys Auto Parts, was parts and station manager for Lazy Earl's Truck Plaza, and owned & operated Film Transit/Beaver Express delivery, serving Conway, Pope, Yell, Johnson and Franklin counties. His favorite retirement occupation was driving the school bus in town and rural areas, often covering 72 miles a day on his routes. He greatly enjoyed kick-starting the day with his school kids, his friends, and fellow school bus drivers, often stating "if there was no rumor going, we could start one." He drove a school bus on various routes for 28 years for the Clarksville School District, retiring several times to farm, but finally, reluctantly and permanently, retiring in May 2007. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Josie and Harry James Wise; sister, Anna Mae Martin; grandparents, Lucy and Neal Taylor and Lizzie and Graham Wise, all of Peak's Mill, Kentucky; and infant son, Francis James Wise. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Franlee Jo Hamilton Wise, of Clarksville; his children, Robert Graham Wise, Sr. and wife, Nicki, of Statesville, North Carolina; Robin Lee Milligan and husband, Patrick, of Mountain Home, Idaho; and David Neal Wise and wife, Catherine, of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; grandchildren, Ashly Druew and Robert Graham (Gray) Wise, Jr. of Salisbury, North Carolina; and Allison Aron and Ida Lee Lewallen, of Mountain Home, Idaho; father-in-law, Francis Hamilton of Clarksville; brothers-in-law, Bill Martin, of Frankfort, Kentucky, and David Hamilton of Sale Creek, Tennessee; nephew, Steven Martin, and nieces, Becky Gill and Lois Roberts of Frankfort, Kentucky, and Jamie Hamilton and husband, Will Perry, of Sale Creek, Tennessee. Pallbearers will be Dusty Talley, Jon Talley, Scott Talley, Doug Hunter, Danny Nichols, Ronnie Zachary, Mike Hanshew, and Don Garrett. Honorary pallbearers will be the Bus Drivers for Clarksville Schools. Bob Wise will be most remembered for his strong, independent, hard-working spirit, and unabashed honesty. He leaves a legacy of family and friends, tied together by more than DNA. He also leaves four generations of Johnson County children, whom he safely and caringly transported to adulthood. The Memorial Service will be held Wednesday, January 23, 2008, at 10 am at Grace Lutheran Church, 406 Brown Street in Clarksville, Arkansas. Visitation will be Tuesday evening, January 22, 2008, 6-8 pm at Hardwicke Funeral Home in Clarksville, Arkansas. Interment with full military honors at Harmony Cemetery on Lone Pine Road, Clarksville, Arkansas. Memorials may be sent to Grace Lutheran Church Building fund or Heifer Project International, 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72202.
From: The Johnson County Graphic, Clarksville, Arkansas, on Friday January 23, 2008
Contributed on 10/26/10 by bill060
Email This Contributor
Suggest a Correction
Record #: 398570