Frank William Wiseman

March 12, 1933 - February 21, 2022

Frank William Wiseman, 88, of Harlingen, died on February 21 after a brief illness. His was a life of learning, adventure and service – to his country, his students and his community. Frank was born in Port Isabel, Texas in 1933. A major hurricane struck the area that year, and Frank’s mother moved with her three young children to Brownsville. His father, who worked for a well-known developer in the Port Isabel area, stayed behind. During Frank’s early childhood his family moved to Tampico, Mexico, where his father took up his former profession of boat captain in the fishing industry. Frank attributed his later facility with languages (he was bilingual in English and Spanish) to his early years in Mexico and growing up in the Rio Grande Valley. When the family left Mexico and returned to Texas, they lived in La Feria. Frank graduated from La Feria High School in 1950. He then attended the University of Texas in Austin, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree with a double major in Spanish and English and a minor in French. After graduation in January 1955, he taught one semester of high school Spanish in Falfurrias, Texas, before receiving his draft notice. He proceeded to South Korea courtesy of the U.S. Army. After serving in the Army, he returned to his teaching job in Falfurrias and stayed five years. At the urging of a friend, he then joined the faculty of the United States Air Force Dependents school system and spent the next twenty years teaching Spanish, English and French in Europe, including five years in England and fifteen years in Spain. While in Europe he earned a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling from Ball State University. After returning to the Valley, he earned a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Texas - Pan American in Edinburg, Texas. A life-long student and educator, Frank was a founding member of the first class of the Rio Grande Valley Chapter of Texas Master Naturalist. As a Master Naturalist, Frank volunteered over 5,700 hours, many of which were spent in Hugh Ramsey Nature Park in Harlingen helping to restore native vegetation. During his volunteer work with the Master Naturalist program he received the George H W Bush Points of Light Award for volunteers whose work goes above and beyond. He taught many people about nature, with a special focus on native plants of the Lower Rio Grande Valley. One current park volunteer said that she had not thought at first that she could lead a hike or teach a class, but Frank gave her the knowledge and confidence to be able to do so. This is the hallmark of a true educator. Frank was preceded in death by his parents, Kelly and Lillian Wiseman, his sisters Tommie Wiseman and Rosemary Wiseman Cochran, and his brother-in-law Robert Cochran. He is survived by his brother, Charles Wiseman, sister-in-law Sue Wiseman, and his nephew Michael Wiseman of Leander, Texas. In memory of Frank, contributions may be to the Dr. Al Richardson Scholarship Fund, checks should be made out to NPSOT and sent to Native Plant Society of Texas, PO Box 3017, Fredericksburg, TX 78624 or to one’s charity of choice. A service celebrating his life will be held in the Hugh Ramsey Nature Park in Harlingen at a later date.