The Rev. Dr. Philip Wise

Published 12:00 am Thursday, April 2, 2009

The Rev. Dr. Philip Douglas Wise was born in Andalusia, Ala., to Harold Loyd and Doris Myra Wise on Jan. 3, 1949.
He attended the Andalusia City Schools, graduating in 1967. In high school, he was an All-State basketball player and National Merit Scholar. He earned his B.A. with honors from Samford University, Birmingham, and the Th.M. with honors and Th.D. degrees from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He also completed three years of post-graduate study at Mansfield College, Oxford University, Oxford, England.
He taught theology and ethics at Culham College, Abingdon, England, and at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He was the senior pastor at Fairview Baptist Church, Selma, Ala.; Morningview Baptist Church, Montgomery, Ala., First Baptist Church, Dothan, Ala., and Second Baptist Church, Lubbock, Texas. He was a guest lecturer at numerous schools including Capetown Baptist College, South Africa; International Baptist Seminary, Singapore; and Baptist Seminary, Ogbomosho, Nigeria.
He co-authored two books and wrote many newspaper and journal articles. He was president of the Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors in Dothan and Lubbock. He served as president of the Montgomery Lions Club and the Dothan Rotary Club. He also held a variety of leadership positions in the Alabama Baptist State Convention, the Baptist General Convention of Texas, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Baptist World Alliance.
He died on March 30, 2009, and is survived by his wife of 40 years, Cynthia, and three children: one daughter and son-in-law, Myra and Patrick Norton of Baltimore, Md.; one son and daughter-in-law, Doug and Daria Wise, and grandson, William, of Atlanta, Ga.; and one son, Fisher Wise of Birmingham. He is also survived by two brothers and sisters-in-law: Harry and Lorelle Wise of Bamberg, S.C., and Brent and Holly Wise of Little River, S.C., and one brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Danny and Stashia Adams of Huntsville. In addition he is survived by a stepmother, Elizabeth Wise of Andalusia, and a mother-in-law, Gladys Adams of Huntsville; eight nieces and nephews, and countless friends.
A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. today at Memorial Cemetery, Andalusia; and a memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Fri., April 3, in Reid Chapel at Samford University.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, P. O. Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392; or to the Philip and Cynthia Wise Scholarship Fund, University Relations, Samford University, Birmingham, AL 35229.