Longtime Alliance resident and former Mt. Union College professor Robert "Bob" G. Wiese, Jr., age 78, died Saturday, December 17, following his decade-long battle with Parkinson's disease.
The son of Robert George and Esther Wurst Wiese, Bob was born and raised in Wellesley, Massachusetts. He received his Bachelor's degree in geology from Yale University in 1955 and subsequently earned a Masters degree and PhD from Harvard University. He began his career in Salt Lake City working as an exploration geologist for various mining companies operating in Utah, Colorado and Nevada. In 1964, he moved to Alliance to begin his 34-year career as a professor of geology and department head at Mount Union College. While at Mount Union, Bob received recognition including being named as a McKinley Fellow by the Mount Union College Alumni Association and in 1978 received the Great Teacher Award. Additionally, he was an adjunct professor at the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Western Ontario, London (Ontario). Throughout his teaching career, he also worked as a part-time consultant for oil, natural gas and coal companies in eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. He authored many papers and was a member of numerous professional organizations including the Geological Society of America (Senior Fellow); Society of Economic Geologists (Fellow); Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration; Society of Sigma Xi; Northern Ohio Geological Society (NOGS) (Secretary 1966-1994, Life Member); and the Mineralogical Association of Canada. Bob served as an elder and trustee for the First United Presbyterian Church in Alliance. He also served on the troop committee for Boy Scout Troop 53 and served on the Board of Directors for the Alliance Community Concert Association. He was an active member of the Wranglers Club. He and his wife, Karen, supported a number of educational, community and public service organizations. Following his retirement from teaching in 1998, Bob remained active with the College where he continued consulting, interacting with the students, and conducting "fun little research projects" involving the rock and mineral collections he had assembled over 30 years. Bob also enjoyed the opportunity to read, travel, play golf, keep fit, and spend time with his family. Over the years, his experience in geology and perspective in the industry made Bob increasingly aware of and concerned about the environmental problems that his grandchildren would inherit. To address this concern, he established conversations about the environment and resources with various groups in the community. Most meaningful for him were discussions with fourth and fifth grade science classes in the local public schools. He said, "These are the ones who will be in charge of the environment in 30 to 40 years, and they will need to know what they are doing." Another of Bob's passions was his involvement with Mount Union's "Education on the Run", an alumni retreat program held annually at the Inn at Honey Run located in Holmes County, Ohio. Bob is survived by his wife of 53 years, Karen Temple Wiese; four children: Edward "Ted" (Mary Jo) Wiese, and their children Robert and Edward, of Baltimore, Maryland; Marianne Wiese (Curt) Stern, and their children, Carina, Bryan, Timothy, Paul, and Nathan, of Blacksburg, Virginia; John (Cathy) Wiese, and their children, Perry, Sarah, and Landon, of Davidson, North Carolina; and Philip (Jennifer) Wiese, and their children/step-children, Nick and Ben Wiese, and Nicole Metoyer of Hudson, Ohio; and brother, Dr. William H. (Janislee) Wiese of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was preceded in death by his parents, and brother, Edward John Wiese. Calling hours for Dr. Wiese will be held at Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral Home at 75 South Union Avenue in Alliance, Ohio on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 from 5:00 p.m.-8:00 pm. The family will also receive visitors beginning at 10:00 am on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at the Dewald Chapel on the campus of the University of Mount Union, followed by a public memorial service beginning at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Wellesley, Massachusetts. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Mount Union Fund, c/o the University of Mount Union, 1972 Clark Ave. Alliance OH 44601, Edwin Shaw Rehab Challenge Golf Program, 1596 Flickinger Rd. Akron, OH 44312, or Crossroads Hospice, 3743 Boettler Oaks Rd., Suite E, Green, OH 44685. Arrangements are by Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral Home, 75 S. Union Ave., Alliance, Ohio 44601.
The son of Robert George and Esther Wurst Wiese, Bob was born and raised in Wellesley, Massachusetts. He received his Bachelor's degree in geology from Yale University in 1955 and subsequently earned a Masters degree and PhD from Harvard University. He began his career in Salt Lake City working as an exploration geologist for various mining companies operating in Utah, Colorado and Nevada. In 1964, he moved to Alliance to begin his 34-year career as a professor of geology and department head at Mount Union College. While at Mount Union, Bob received recognition including being named as a McKinley Fellow by the Mount Union College Alumni Association and in 1978 received the Great Teacher Award. Additionally, he was an adjunct professor at the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Western Ontario, London (Ontario). Throughout his teaching career, he also worked as a part-time consultant for oil, natural gas and coal companies in eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. He authored many papers and was a member of numerous professional organizations including the Geological Society of America (Senior Fellow); Society of Economic Geologists (Fellow); Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration; Society of Sigma Xi; Northern Ohio Geological Society (NOGS) (Secretary 1966-1994, Life Member); and the Mineralogical Association of Canada. Bob served as an elder and trustee for the First United Presbyterian Church in Alliance. He also served on the troop committee for Boy Scout Troop 53 and served on the Board of Directors for the Alliance Community Concert Association. He was an active member of the Wranglers Club. He and his wife, Karen, supported a number of educational, community and public service organizations. Following his retirement from teaching in 1998, Bob remained active with the College where he continued consulting, interacting with the students, and conducting "fun little research projects" involving the rock and mineral collections he had assembled over 30 years. Bob also enjoyed the opportunity to read, travel, play golf, keep fit, and spend time with his family. Over the years, his experience in geology and perspective in the industry made Bob increasingly aware of and concerned about the environmental problems that his grandchildren would inherit. To address this concern, he established conversations about the environment and resources with various groups in the community. Most meaningful for him were discussions with fourth and fifth grade science classes in the local public schools. He said, "These are the ones who will be in charge of the environment in 30 to 40 years, and they will need to know what they are doing." Another of Bob's passions was his involvement with Mount Union's "Education on the Run", an alumni retreat program held annually at the Inn at Honey Run located in Holmes County, Ohio. Bob is survived by his wife of 53 years, Karen Temple Wiese; four children: Edward "Ted" (Mary Jo) Wiese, and their children Robert and Edward, of Baltimore, Maryland; Marianne Wiese (Curt) Stern, and their children, Carina, Bryan, Timothy, Paul, and Nathan, of Blacksburg, Virginia; John (Cathy) Wiese, and their children, Perry, Sarah, and Landon, of Davidson, North Carolina; and Philip (Jennifer) Wiese, and their children/step-children, Nick and Ben Wiese, and Nicole Metoyer of Hudson, Ohio; and brother, Dr. William H. (Janislee) Wiese of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was preceded in death by his parents, and brother, Edward John Wiese. Calling hours for Dr. Wiese will be held at Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral Home at 75 South Union Avenue in Alliance, Ohio on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 from 5:00 p.m.-8:00 pm. The family will also receive visitors beginning at 10:00 am on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at the Dewald Chapel on the campus of the University of Mount Union, followed by a public memorial service beginning at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Wellesley, Massachusetts. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Mount Union Fund, c/o the University of Mount Union, 1972 Clark Ave. Alliance OH 44601, Edwin Shaw Rehab Challenge Golf Program, 1596 Flickinger Rd. Akron, OH 44312, or Crossroads Hospice, 3743 Boettler Oaks Rd., Suite E, Green, OH 44685. Arrangements are by Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral Home, 75 S. Union Ave., Alliance, Ohio 44601.
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