Dolores Estelle Wisely

Dolores Estelle (Bismark) Wisely

Dolores Estelle (Bismark) Wisely, formerly of Medford, passed away Thursday, August 30th, 2007, in Ashland, Ore., from complications of Alzheimer's disease. She was born to Herbert Edward Bismark and Ruth Clark Bismark, April 11th, 1928, in Sarasota, Fla.

Dolores moved with her parents and sister to Denver, Colo., while a young child to be near her maternal grandparents. Her family lived in Denver and Portland, Ore., prior to moving to Medford where she started school. Dolores spent all of her school years in Medford, and graduated from Medford High in June, 1946. Following high school, she enrolled in classes at SOCE (Southern Oregon College of Education), in Ashland. In June 1947, she married Duane Merlyn Wisely in the Methodist Church in Medford.

In 1954, Duane reenlisted in the Navy and during his long career in the military the family lived at times in Honolulu, Hawaii, Port Lyautey, French Morocco, Seattle, Wash., Medford and Roseburg, Ore., and Norfolk, Va. The family grew to include five children, Sharyn Kaye, Kathryn Ruth, Susan Marie, Karen Diane, and Michael Duane.

After settling in California in 1966, Dolores and Duane spent the next 12 years raising their youngest children in the San Jose area. In 1978, Duane and Dolores divorced and Dolores began new adventures by volunteering her time at such places as the Blind Center and the Rescue Mission in San Jose.

After brief stays with her children in The Dalles, Ore., and Clearlake, Calif., Dolores moved back to Medford in April, 1990, to retire and spend her golden years in the hometown where she grew up. She immediately got busy with quilting, monthly lunches with her friends from school, and joined the school reunion committee where she assisted with organizing the 50year reunion for Medford High. Dolores also became a volunteer for the Oregon Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association of Southern Oregon, where she was honored as "Outstanding Volunteer of the Year" in 1996 by the association at their annual banquet, a particularly proud moment for her.

Dolores is survived by her daughters; Sharyn (Bill) Anderson, Susan Chiampas, Karen (RayDon) Reed, son, Michael (Toni) Wisely, grandchildren; Erin Anderson and her husband Jon Schultz, Chtistopher and Allison Chiampas, Matthew (Sarah) Estes, Camilyn, Mitchell, and Mallory Wisely, niece, Angela Lemieux. She was preceded in death by her sister, Margaret Bloom, daughter, Kathryn Wisely Porter, granddaughter, Melody Wisely, and Duane Wisely.

A memorial service will be held at Conger-Morris in Medford, on Wednesday, September 5th, 2007 at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Dolores' honor to the Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Floor 17, Chicago, IL. 60601-7633