Mary Meigs Wise

Mary M. Wise, of Marietta and Canton, GA, died on January 12, 2022, at the age of eighty-six. Otis Wise, her husband of 67 years, was by her side when she died peacefully in her sleep after a long battle with heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Mary was born in 1935 in Louisville, KY, the youngest daughter of Dr. Paul Meigs and Margaret Meigs of East Point, GA, Jacksonville, FL, and Berkeley, CA. Mary was a student at Russell High School, East Point High School, and the University of California at Berkley. She met Otis while her dad was pastor of Jefferson Avenue Baptist Church in East Point. They were married in 1954 while Otis was serving in the Navy in Key West, FL. During their 67 years of marriage, she moved with Otis as part of his career with Liberty Mutual to Charlotte, East Orange, NJ, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and then back to Atlanta (Marietta), where they retired.

Mary loved music. She was a member of church choirs throughout her life and taught piano lessons for more than 40 years. She loved her students. She was an active member of the Cobb County Music Teachers Association and the Georgia Music Teachers Association.

Mary was active in Christian work throughout her life. She taught Sunday School classes in most of the churches she attended. She also served as a Deacon at First Baptist Roswell and other churches. She was the pianist at churches in Key West, Charlotte, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Roswell. She loved mission work and was supportive of all evangelism work.

Mary was a devoted and loving wife, mother, “Grand Mary,” and great grandmother. She is survived by her husband, Otis, daughter Carol Hobbs (Nick) in Woodstock, GA, and grandchildren Katie Henley (Jeff) in Canton, GA, Brent Skelton (Laura) in Greensboro, NC, Elizabeth Chalpan (Kevin) in Roswell, and Nicholas Hobbs in Chicago, and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her older daughter, Janie Graffagnino (Tom), her sister Jane Schaaf and her brothers Joseph Meigs and Tom Meigs.

A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Roswell on Friday, January 28. Visitation will be at 1:00 p.m. followed by the service at 2:00 p.m. Roswell First Baptist is located at 710 Mimosa Boulevard, Roswell, Georgia 30075