James A. Wiese

Born May 17, 1930 James Arthur Wiese lived a long and prosperous life as a friend, husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather before passing on to a better place April 30, 2015. Growing up in Indianapolis, Indiana as the only child of Clara and Arthur Wiese, Jim was an inquisitive tinkerer going on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from Purdue University. On August 23, 1953 he and Dolores Peterson were married and began a union that lasted 54 years before her death in 2008. Upon graduation he joined the US Air Force rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before leaving to begin a 20 year career with the General Electric Corporation. His career with General Electric included positions in Ireland and Germany and took him and his growing family from upstate New York to Illinois before joining Hoover Universal and moving to Ann Arbor, Michigan. After a 15 year career with Hoover Universal then Johnson Controls, Jim left to become part of the management team at AvFuel Corporation, retiring in 2010. As a longtime resident of Ann Arbor, Jim served as a Director and Deacon for numerous banks, organizations and the First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor. His love of tinkering lasted throughout his life as he enjoyed spending time at the Lake with his friends and family. He will be missed as a friend, father, mentor and advisor. Jim is survived by his family; sons Kurt (Barb) Wiese of Oakland Township and Pete (Sally) Wiese of Colleyville, Texas, daughter Erin Cole (Glenn) of Ann Arbor and nine grandchildren: Bryan Wiese, Brittany Wiese, Chelsea Wiese, James W. Wiese, Thomas Wiese, Megan Wiese, Leigh Cole, Kristyne Cole, Grant Cole and two great grandchildren, Owen and Benjamin Wiese. A visitation will be held Saturday May 2nd from 10:00 – 11:00 am followed by a memorial service and ice cream social at the Muehlig Funeral Chapel in Ann Arbor. Immediately following the social, Jim will be interned with a private ceremony at Oak Brook Cemetery in Chelsea, Michigan. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made in his name to the Humane Society of Huron Valley (3100 Cherry Hill Rd 48105) or the Alzheimer’s Association (225 N. Michigan Ave. FL 17, Chicago, Il 60601)