Penn man served community as fire chief
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Weslie Wiser grew up in Trafford and served his community, both in the town’s post office and the volunteer fire department, where he rose through the ranks to become chief.
“I have never seen a more dedicated individual in the fire department in my time,” said his son, Dennis Wiser of Harrison City, who followed his father as fire chief.
Mr. Wiser joined Trafford Fire Co. No. 1 in 1952 and served as in various roles until he was elected chief in 1980. He retired as chief in 1984, Wiser said.
Weslie G. Wiser of Penn, formerly of Trafford, died Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019, in UPMC East hospital in Monroeville. He was 90.
He was born Dec. 27, 1928, in Trafford, the son of the late Gordon H. and Linnie Lucore Wiser.
Mr. Wiser and his future wife, Marilyn Brown, were classmates in Trafford High School’s Class of 1947. The couple was married for 70 years.
After graduating from high school, he worked as a postal clerk for the U.S. Postal Service in Trafford, retiring in 1985.
As postal clerk, he knew everyone in town, Wiser said.
“We (his children) could not get away with anything. He knew what we were going to do before we did it,” Dennis Wiser said.
Mr. Wiser was a member of several fire department organizations: Westmoreland County Fireman’s Association, Westmoreland County Fire Chief’s Association, the Mohawks, Western Pennsylvania Fireman’s Association, Pennsylvania Fireman’s Association and the Allegheny County Fireman’s Association.
He was a member of Penn-Zion Lutheran Church in Penn Township.
In his spare time, he loved to hunt and fish. He enjoyed going hunting at his grandfather’s farm in Pennfield, Clearfield County. He also enjoyed woodworking, Dennis Wiser said.
Mr. Wiser also was preceded in death by a son, Darrel W. Wiser; a grandson, Ben Cromer; his twin brother and two sisters.
In addition to his wife, he also is survived by a daughter, Judith Cromer of Harrison City; two sons, Dennis Wiser of Harrison and Weslie David Wiser of Eighty-Four; 15 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.
Family and friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday in the John M. Dobrinick Funeral Home Inc., 702 Seventh St., Route 130. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the funeral home, with Pastor Roger Steiner officiating. Interment will follow in Penn-Lincoln Memorial Park, North Huntingdon. Trafford Fire Company No. 1 will hold a memorial fireman’s service at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the funeral home.
Memorial contributions can be made to the American Heart Association, 444 Liberty Ave., No. 133, Pittsburgh PA 15222 or www.heart.org.