Elmo “Lee” Wisdom

Elmo “Lee” Wisdom, 87, died Oct. 2, 2010, surrounded by his family at his home in Wasilla. A private burial was Oct. 8 at Fort Richardson National Cemetery with military honors.

Wisdom was born April 17, 1923, in Arkansas. Shortly after graduation from high school in 1941, he moved to Oakland, Calif., and worked in the shipyards. In 1943, he enlisted in the 88th Infantry Division, 313th Engineer Combat Battalion, A Company, where he received a Purple Heart during his tour until his honorable discharge in 1946. He moved to Salinas, Calif., and in the summer of 1955 met his wife, Dee, at a truck stop restaurant. It took two months of returning every day to eat there before he built up his nerve to ask her out on a date. They were married Dec. 23, 1955.

In August 1968, the couple and their five children — Jim, Tom, Bob, Patricia and Melissa — moved from Salinas to Anchorage, where Wisdom was self-employed until 1974, when he worked for the Municipality of Anchorage until his retirement in 1989. Wisdom and his family moved to Wasilla in 1990, where he happily lived until his death.

Lee was an avid outdoors enthusiast; he loved hunting, fishing, camping and four-wheeling, tending his large garden and apple orchard. He was a proud lifetime patron member of the National Rifle Association with special endowment and certification. Lee was a superb chef and loved cooking and barbecuing for his huge family. He liked to salvage and rebuild vehicles, RVs and customize his ATVs. He fabricated many things out of wood and metal. When he wasn’t outside in his yard or in his garage, you could find him in his favorite chair reading.

“Lee was devoted to his family and loved having huge family get-togethers with his children and many grand and great-grandchildren — always with a special pot of beans on the stove and stories to tell,” his family wrote. “He loved four-wheeling in Eureka, fishing the Tyone River, and went moose and caribou hunting every year with his sons and grandson. He believed in living the Alaska way and passed down his love for the Last Frontier to his family. His kindness and compassion, his love for his family, and his incredible legacy of a real Alaskan man will be handed down for many generations. We are blessed to have had such an incredible role model and we know that he’ll finally be able to get his 70-inch bull moose. Shoot on, Lee! We love you forever.”

Wisdom is survived by his wife of 55 years, Dee Wisdom; sons, Thomas and Teresa Wisdom and Bob Wisdom, and daughter-in-law Doreen Edger; and daughter, Melissa Wisdom, all of Wasilla. He is also is survived by daughter, Patricia Wisdom of Anchorage; grandchildren Nathan and Danielle Wisdom, and Jessica and Walter Bryant, all of Eagle River; grandson, Dusty Wisdom of Kansas; granddaughter, Angel of Anchorage; great-granddaughters, Kyle, Ella and Lily; great-grandsons, Zion and Gabriel Lee, all of Eagle River; great-granddaughter and great-grandson Abi and Skyler Baisch, and great-great-granddaughters, Aurora and Elaine, all of Wasilla. Wisdom is also survived by his adopted son and daughter-in-law Jerry and Donna Hoopes of Kamiah, Idaho; and his beloved dog, Smokey.

Wisdom was preceded in death by his son, Jim Lee Wisdom.

Arrangements by the Valley Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, send donations to 2100 S. Valley Loop, Wasilla, AK 99564.