THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, April 9, 1996 TAG: 9604090263
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B6 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: STUART, FLA. LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
Edward Raleigh Wiser, died March 30, 1996, of a heart attack.
He was the son of Fannie Mae and Edward Cleveland Passaro, born Nov. 6, 1925, at Butt's Station, Norfolk County, Va., now a part of the City of Chesapeake. Edward Cleveland died in 1930 and Fannie Mae married John Lawrence Wiser in 1932. From that point Edward Raleigh took the name Wiser as his own. He joined the Navy in 1942 serving as Boatswains Mate on minesweepers and sub-chasers. Decorated for a daring depth charge on a U-boat off Morehead City, N.C., as the lone man on deck watch in a gale, he lashed himself to a depth charge launcher to avoid being swept overboard. When sonar made contact with the enemy sub, instructions to fire were passed over the ship's intercom as storm conditions made it impossible for crewmen to cross the deck. He single-handedly reloaded a second depth charge and fired again. After finding debris and an oil slick, the ship was credited with a kill. Later in the war he transferred to submarine duty in the Pacific, making several patrols and surviving depth charge attacks. In 1945, he served on a cruise with former Virginia Governor Linwood Holton. In the 1950s he joined the National Guard, rising to the rank of 1st Lieutenant. In the 1960s he again joined the National Guard, 29th Infantry Division, 111th Field Artillery.
In 1947, he married Fannie Ruth Baker of Princess Anne County. Mr. Wiser retired from civil service in 1982 where he was in the Navy's Corps of Civil Engineers. Prior to retirement, he was active in local politics, working in every election for former Congressman Bill Whitehurst and other Republican candidates. He was noted for great diligence and dedication on the job. He did not hesitate to work unpaid overtime and produced several technical papers and manuals for Naval construction. Ed and Fannie settled in Port St. Lucie, Fla. in 1983, where Fannie passed away in October 1994. Ed married lifelong friend, Jeanette Hensley of Winston-Salem, N.C. in July of 1995.
Survivors include his wife, Jeanette; nine children; and 15 grandchildren. Ed was noted for his active, frequently irreverent sense of humor. He was a gregarious man who was quick to attract friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to Hospice of Martin County, 2300 SE Ocean Blvd., Stuart, Fla.
KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY by CNB