Margaret Ann Cannon Wise

April 2, 1931-October 18, 2021

90 years, 6 months. 16 days young

A beautiful loving soul that

ALWAYS put her family first.

She was born the daughter of a farmer, that she so often told how he carried one of them around his neck, another on his back, and one in his arms. She picked cotton, which I am sure made her literally the strongest woman, in every way, that I have ever known personally.

She also talked about her mother,

she wondered what she was like,

as a little girl she wondered why she had not been given the privilege of having a mommy, what her mommy looked like, and then she would tell us about the only memory she had, and that was playing at her feet while “holding onto her dresstail”.

Mama told us how she met Daddy. She was working at Bryce and Daddy had just got home from the long hospital visit due to his injury in World War II. She was downtown with a girlfriend and he was riding around in his new car. He made several loops and I guess when he finally got the nerve to speak to the beautiful brunette, he made history.

They were together 40 years and had a love that would spread over five generations.

Mama was mostly a housewife, but she did take a job at Olympia Mills, worked as a cashier, and then a personal sitter in her late sixties, but that never interfered with helping with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She didn’t drive unless completely necessary, and she never had a license. I remember in 1980, I had a new Regal Limited, and Daddy always had to check them out for us, you might say. I went over to their house to get my car, and was looking for the light switch, and Mama said, “oh, it’s right here”, pointing to the switch, and I thanked her. Then I realized, how did she know? That’s when I found out she had driven back from Montgomery.

She also drove Mickey’s straight shift corvette once.

She had a green thumb and as Daryl would call her, A Farmer’s Almanac.

She knew when to plant and what to plant. No google needed.

Daryl said when he lost Mama, he “lost a dump truck bed full of knowledge”. You must know that means a lot coming from dump truck driver.

She was a great cook, and unless it was a Friday night or some special occasion, Mama was in the kitchen cooking for 12 people or more.

Thanksgiving with her cornbread dressing and big turkey, Christmas ham, her special mac and cheese, Blueberry cobbler, snow ice cream, Sunday fried chicken with mashed potatoes, and the list goes on with her wonderful meals. Each meal was cooked with love as her final ingredient, and it made the food taste like it was for a King, and it was, her husband, our Daddy.

Mama’s love spread thick, it was real, and it was strong. There was no breaking the bond she had formed with her children. She taught us that our children depended on us,they should always come first, how very important it is to stick by their side, and to never let anyone come between us.

Even at ninety, she wanted to go sit with her two sick children at the hospital, Buddy and Judy.

I remember having a horrible ear infection, I was in college, but I came home and she sit all night, holding towels that were scalding hot and had they to burn her hands, to my ear, as I slept with my head in her lap.

It didn’t matter if you saw Mama everyday or once a year, she loved her babies, and she loved the visit, she loved the phone calls, the texts, and FaceTime. Her love was always welcoming.

Mama loved life, she loved music, she loved to go to concerts, whether it was gospel or country music. She loved Tina Turner, her music,life story, and the strong woman she was. Mama went to North Carolina to see Bobby Bare, John Anderson, and Darryl Worley and had pictures made with them as they talked. The lipstick she has on today, well Darryl Worley told her that was definitely her color. She got to see Don Williams, Sammy Kershaw, Rickey Scaggs, and the Issacs all in one year.

In 2019 we made a RV trip and she was my co-captain. In August, 2021 she went to the beach, where she got to put her feet in the ocean, visit her sister, Sarah Jane, and cousin, Carrie, in Pensacola. She also visited her brother, Levon, in Mobile.

In early September, we visited her aunt, Rebeth.

Her 90th birthday surprise party, was one to be remembered. She was definitely the most beautiful of the night and all eyes and attention was on her.

The pandemic put restraints on her travel, but thank God she was never diagnosed with COVID. Although in March, 2020 when they were announcing all the symptoms, she said “we already had that”, and she was probably right, because in September/October, 2019 she was in the hospital with respiratory problems with a horrible cough, ground glass opacities in her lungs, and a blood clot. She was treated with antibiotics, steroids, nebulizer treatments, and blood thinner.

She lived two more years, but when COVID started the illness that rendered her son defenseless, and would eventually cause the end of his life, it took a toll on hers.

Mama had dealt with loss from a young child, and through the years she stayed strong for us. She held on to the promise and hope of seeing everyone again in a Heavenly Reunion. She did well until the death of Buddy, the circumstances surrounding his death were more than her sweet heart could take.

She longed to be with him, to take care of him, to be with her baby, and going to Heaven was a sure ticket for their reunion.

So now we have to say our goodbyes to our Mama, our rock, our glue, our Queeny, but it’s not goodbye forever, for this is just our temporary home.

Mama loved her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and she took her children to church. We were taught about his love, mercy, grace, miracles, and Heaven. She was a believer and witnessed miracles with her own children. My healing at two years old from double pneumonia, Grace’s miracle of life at 26 months old when she was sent home to die, and Daryl’s healing of his hernia. She read her Bible, and at the age of ninety she was ready for her own miracle, a new body, and a new life with Jesus and her love ones that she has missed and grieved over.

We will truly miss you Mama, we will keep you next to us in our hearts and memories, and you will be alive as lone as we live. We will see you in Heaven and I pray for the circle to be unbroken.

Forever loving and missing you,

You Family.💔😭

Margaret Ann Cannon Wise, age 90, of Fayette, AL was born April 2, 1931 and was promoted to her heavenly home on October 18, 2021 at Northport DCH with her family by her side. To know her was to love her. She was our Queeny, our rock, and the glue that held this family together. Her visitation will be held at Memory Chapel on Friday, October 22, 2021 from 5:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at Eastside Freewill Baptist Church on Saturday, October 23, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. with burial to follow at Boone Cemetery.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 40 years, David Poellnitz Wise Sr., her sons: David Poellnitz Wise Jr. (Buddy) and David Poellnitz Wise III, her grandchildren: Adam Hoggle and Brantley Holloway, her father and mother: Olen and Jewel Cannon, and her siblings: Bessie Lambert and Shirley South.

She is survived by nine children: Judith Cook, Sally Cook, Grace Harris, Doris Smith, Darlene Wise, Diana Harris, Daryl Wise (Theresa), Dulcie Hoggle (Kenny), and Dolly Strickland (Phillip), 25 grandchildren, 33 great grandchildren, and 8 great great grandchildren.

Pallbearers include: Phillip, Phil, Nick, and Nate Strickland, Ryan Wise, and Shane Holloway Sr.

Honorary Pallbearers include: Dr. Debra Davis and Dr. Charles Abney.

Our mother was a precious soul that was full of wisdom, love, and kindness. We invite you to enjoy more about her life by joining us on Memory Chapel’s website at: memorychapelfuneralhome.com