Descygne Mildred Wise

Descygne Mildred Miller was born on June 27, 1918, in Trousdale, OK, the second of six children of Willie and Emma Miller. Willie built houses and had a band that played for local dances. Emma was a housewife. Willie played a five string banjo and taught Descygne to play the violin. Occasionally, she would play the violin and sing with his band. She attended school in Cushing, OK, graduating from Cushing High School in 1936.

On January 1, 1938, she married Benjamin Oscar Wise. Not long after their marriage, she and Bennie moved to Cleveland, OK, where Bennie was the distributor for the Tulsa World and Tribune. On January 3, 1940, she gave birth to Bennie, Jr., who died at birth. On January 24, 1941, she gave birth to William Bert. And, on January 10, 1947, she gave birth to Mildred Descygne. The family moved from Cleveland to Pawnee and then to Drumright, OK.

As the newspaper business grew, Descygne joined Bennie with the newspaper agency, including both delivering papers and taking care of the books. Besides rearing her own two children, she and Bennie took in two foster sons, Dennis and William (Billy) Crume. In addition, Descygne and Bennie helped many other children earned money by delivering newspapers.

Descygne and Bennie were members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now the Community of Christ). Her musical background came in handy as she played the piano and sang for worship services at the Oilton Congregation that she attended.

While living in Drumright, Descygne and Bennie survived three tornadoes which destroyed their houses. In the last one, which hit in 1974, she, Bennie, Dennis and Billy were under the kitchen table when the tornado blew off the roof and tore down all of the walls; the only things standing in the house were the kitchen table and an upright piano.

Descygne was pre-deceased by two sisters, Agnes Russell and Jacqueta Pippenger; one brother, Merdith Ray Miller; her son, Bennie, Jr, in 1940; her husband, Bennie, in 1987; one of her foster sons, Billy, in 2000; a granddaughter, Kristin Harder, in 2000; and a daughter-in-law, Sandy Wise in 2004. She is survived by one sister, Burlene Miller Willison; one brother, W.B. Miller; her son, Bert Wise; daughter, Mildred Wise Harder; and foster son Dennis Crume. She had nine grandchildren and eighteen great grandchildren.

She was a very loving and generous person and was loved deeply by her family and many friends. Although she is no longer with us, the love and values she instilled in her family live on. She will be greatly missed.

Mrs. Wise passed away October 31, 2007 in Drumright, Oklahoma at the age of 89 years 4 months and 4 days

Funeral services will be held Monday, November 5, 2007 at 2:00 pm in the Chapman-Black Funeral Home Chapel with burial in the Terlton Cemetery under the direction of Chapman-Black Funeral Home, Inc in Cleveland, Oklahoma.