Barbara Wise

Barbara Willodean Sellers Wise, 76, passed away on Nov. 1, 2014 at home. She was born April 14, 1938 in Gaston County to the late John W. and Annie Lynch Sellers.

Willodean was a 1955 graduate of Bessemer City High School where she was Homecoming Queen. She also earned a BA degree in education from Belmont Abbey in 1999. She worked as a teacher's assistant at West Elementary and Bessemer City Central schools for a number of years. Willodean was a longtime member of First Baptist Church where she was Sunday school secretary and a former deacon. Her family wishes to thank her special friends, Pam and Jay Hopper, Sam, Tennie and Willodean Hovis, and Eric Nichols for their priceless devotion to our mother. Willodean's family was the most important thing to her and she was the most important person to us.

She is survived by her sons, Russell Wise and wife Rene of King, N.C., Randy Wise and wife Tracy of Bessemer City, Robert Wise of Nashville, Tenn.; daughters, Janet Ray and husband Mark of Bessemer City, Julie Grooms and husband Ed of Kings Mountain; grandchildren, Melissa Bussard and husband John, Janean Wise, Eric and Allison Ray, Michael and Alex Grooms, Lauren and Macey Wise, Allison and Michelle Bailey; great-grandchildren, Rebekah Wise, Hannah and Kelsey Bussard, Isabella McIntosh; friends that are more like family, Richard and Rhonda Bailey.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William David "Bill" Wise; infant daughter, Patricia Luann Wise; brothers, Arthur, George, Willard, John, Carl (Gabby), Clyde, Donald, and Jimmie Sellers; sisters, Myrtle Lankford, Oleathia Elmore, and Virgie Vander.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Sisk-Butler Funeral & Cremation Services, Bessemer City.

Her funeral service will be Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, at 3 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Bessemer City with the Rev. A.A.Bailey officiating.

Interment will follow at Bessemer City Memorial Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, "Journey of Faith," PO Box 397, Bessemer City, NC 28016