Daniel Lynn Wisdom

Daniel Lynn Wisdom born January 30, 1954 to Lawrence Dale and Eunice Lulu (Ming) Wisdom in Wray, Colorado. He passed away February 7, 2023 in the Philippines.

It is a miracle that Dan survived any part of his childhood!  He was born January 30, 1954 at the Wray Hospital.  Dr. Thompson determined that Dan was erythroblastolic.  He was an RH baby which meant his chance of survival was slim to none.  The only option was a quick transfusion with blood that did not match either Mother Eunice Lulu (Ming) or Father Lawrence Dale Wisdom which meant a speedy trip to Children's Hospital in Denver.  Hy Whyte volunteered his new car and himself for the race to Denver.  As Dad and Hy jumped into the car, a call was made to the Eckley Volunteer Fire Department telling them of the emergency situation.  Eckley put out a Fire Call and they then rushed to block all entrances to Highway 34, clearing the way.  Eckley called Yuma, Yuma called Otis, Otis called Akron, and Akron called Brush.  All the way through, Dad's and Hy's Volunteer Fire brothers cleared the way!  Children's had just developed a new protocol for ''blue babies'' and Dan was one of the first to receive this lifesaving protocol.

When he finally came home, Pam learned how to change his diaper cause she was 5.  Her first solo trip ended happily when it was discovered that Dan had not swallowed the diaper pins, but until they were found there was panic.

When he was around 4, his brothers, Mike and Tim, really made him mad about something.  A mad Dan was a dangerous Dan, so Mike and Tim ran out the front door allowing the storm door to fly shut behind them.  Dan put his head down and kept running.  (He is one of the reasons we have to have safety glass in our storm doors.)  He hit the glass with his head at full force.  Blood everywhere.  Even in College his head would start to bleed as a sliver of glass would work its way up to the surface and we would tweezer it on out!

Then there was the time that Mike and Tim gave Dan a tumble in Mrs. Thiringer's dryer.

It is miraculous that he survived any level of childhood, but we toughened him up for the Navy all by ourselves!  Probably didn't hurt his Wrestling career, either!

Dan was a Thespian, W Club member, Cub Scout, Boy Scout, in MYF; but Wrestling was his greatest affinity.  He was home on the mat all the years that he wrestled.  Coach Bob Smith and Marilyn were considered to be part of his family.  Coach Smith always said, ''I train gentlemen , hoping that some of them will turn out to be wrestlers.''  Dan tried to live up to this high bar in everything he did.  He took fourth place at State his Sophomore year, then placed first at State his Junior year.  Senior year, his stubborn attempt to lose more weight than Coach Smith wanted him to led to dehydration which sadly kept him from State.  Comment heard while attending a late season match, ''How many of these Wisdoms are there?''  (With brothers and cousins there are a lot!)  Dan went on to wrestle for Northeastern Junior College.

Dan joined the U.S. Navy in two different stints.  The first stint he was P-3's and the second stint he was a Flight Engineer which meant he was required to fly on every trip that 'his' plane was sent.  He was stationed at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Flight Engineer School (1987-1988), Naval Air Station Barber's Point (Rainbow Squadron, 1988-1991), deployed to Adak, Alaska, then to Guam which was extended due to the Persian Gulf, Naval Air Station Fallon (Spring 1991).  Dan was honorably discharged as a disabled veteran (due to jumping from a military plane in distress as it was taxiing).

Dan married Beth Jarrett August 10, 1985 and they welcomed Kathryn Anne on October 3, 1989.  They were divorced November 1991.

Dan became a private military contractor working with the military in Iraq during Desert Storm.  Returning to Wray, Dan worked at Ace Hardware, then at Wray Lumber (East side).  He retired in 2017.  In retirement Dan became a ''do unto others'' kind of guy.  He was willing to go anywhere in the world and do whatever was needed from carpentry to finances.  He went to the Philippines to participate in a Memorial Bataan Death March and while there, he met Mariza, who became his special friend.

If you were ever in a conversation with Dan, you should recall that every topic was either black or white, yes or no, etc.  He would choose the side of the discussion he was on and eliminate any mid-ground.  And don't try to change his mind!  You were obviously on the wrong side because he was standing on God's side!  We can laugh because Dan walked out his faith and patriotism loudly and proudly.  We Wisdom children were taught to love and honor God, Veterans, fire fighters, friends and neighbors in all places, and the Denver Broncos come rain or shine.  It is a joy, a blessing, and an honor that we had Dan at all to share our lives, to exercise our Grace ability, to grow in God's Loving Wisdom together, and to meet again in that Holy Unbroken Circle with all the aunts and uncles singing at the top of their lungs.

Dan leaves the following folks behind to mourn him:

his daughter, Kathryn; his special friend, Mariza, and her amazing family; Uncle Russ Ming; many friends and cohorts in crime; and his siblings: Pam Coulter, Mike (Roni) Wisdom, Tim (Jody) Wisdom and their children: Jesse Cushen [Ray Aragon, Jake Dickson]; Gabie Cushen [Aydan, Kedric, Ash, Quinn]; Lisa (Nate) Buxman [Gavin, Grant, Gage, Gunnar]; Stacey (Dan)    Gaines [Evelyn, Lillian]; Angie (Mike) Harms [Ben, Katie, Heidi, Kolbe].

A Memorial service will be held Wednesday, February 15, 2023, 10:00 a.m. at the First Christian Church in Wray, Colorado with Pastor Curtis Taylor officiating. Cremation was requested with inurnment in the Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida.

Memorials may be made to the Wray Wrestling Club, Bob & Marilyn Smith Wrestling Scholarship Fund or the Johnny Hines American Legion Post #30.

Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.