On June 3rd, 1986 my mom, Sheila Darlene Clark, and my dad, John Wise were married. The ceremony took place in Wiesbaden – that’s me in the bump! By this time the two of my parents had moved out of their Army barracks and were living on Luisenstrasse in Neu-Isenburg not far from the Frankfurt Airport.
This is my father, John Wise just four months before I was born. He joined the Army the year before, did his basic training at Ft. Knox, advanced training was at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, followed by his duty assignment at 21st Replacement Battalion on Rhein Main Airbase in Frankfurt, Germany adjacent the Frankfurt Airport.
The story goes that he was along for a ride with another soldier who was visiting a girl in my mom’s barracks in Wiesbaden who turned out to be one of my mom’s roommates. For the first six months of their seeing one another, dad would travel the 18 miles from his barracks to my mom’s barracks. He told me the dirty face was battle makeup worn for a field exercise. His job was in administration involving some computer programming, training of other soldiers, and logistics work.
Guest Writer: Sheila Clark
In January 1985, I went into the Army and headed to Ft. Jackson, South Carolina for boot-camp. I embarked on an adventure with new people in a new place; I was born in Kansas. I was given the chance to accomplish things I had not even dreamed I would or could do. I made new friends in the craziest ways and places. I slept, showered, worked, and played with a group of girls from different states which helped me learn a lot. I fired the LAW (M72 Light Anti-Tank Weapon), shot an M16, and threw a hand grenade. I was having the time of my life.
I got to ride in a helicopter, so exciting. It was winter in Jackson and so it taught me how strong I could be in the elements when I really didn’t want to be in them. I learned how to march and call cadences, some that I still remember. It was time for A-school and I didn’t have to leave Ft Jackson. I became a driver for my unit which was called a runner. With boot-camp over, we women integrated with the men in school and oh how much fun that was!
After learning my trade, I was so gung-ho that I went to Airborne School and after five jumps, with a parachute, I earned my wings. The experience was a dream of mine since I was about eight years old when my Dad’s boss owned his own plane and took me for a flight; I was hooked. Then I began to wonder what it would be like to jump from one, and now I know what a great feeling it is. As time goes so fast for me it’s time for me to move on and in the Army they call that a change of duty station.
My school taught me how to type and put in data entries as well as file. My new station would be with the 5th Corps in Wiesbaden, West Germany. During the summer I would meet John Wise and we would visit Paris, France and Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Holland, and locations across Germany before deciding to get married and bring Jessica into the world a year later.
October 5th
It all started in a small town in Minneapolis, Kansas on October 2, 1964. A child was born to the name of Sheila Darlene Clark. She was brought to a home at 708 Delia Ave where she was met by her four sisters: Anita Marie born Feb. 4, 1958, Janet Lynn born Apr. 15, 1959, Geraldine Kay born July 9, 1960, and Lois Elaine born Nov. 5, 1963. Her mother was Elaine Louise Baker Clark (1936-2004) and her father was Gerald Clinton Clark (1934-2001).
As she grew and lived at this home she learned many things: to share with sisters, how to ride a bike, and started school and began to make friends. At the age of eight, the family moved to the country where Sheila was able to learn about farming, raising cows, chickens, and pigs. She got to ride a bus to school and back home. Life seemed good until the day her mother and father divorced; what a change.
8th Grade
She was 12 when she moved back to town with her mother who had met a man named Virgil Sidders that would become her step-father and then move them to Delphos, KS. In the meantime, her father had married a woman named Joyce who became her step-mom. In 1980, Sheila would move back to Minneapolis, KS to start her freshman year in high school. She was a good kid and enjoying life with her friends: Sheila Baker, Mary Lutz, Vicki Dickerman, and Annette Giessert.
She learned to ride a unicycle, roller-skate, and loved to ride her bike. The freedom she had living in a small town was great, but it was time for a change in life. She went to live with her father again and had to move to Glasco, KS where she would stay until she graduated from high school May 22, 1983. She moved to Salina, KS to attend Brown Mackie College. After graduating there, she ventured into the Army Jan. 2, 1985 and left Kansas behind.
Senior at Glasco High School
One day little Sheila goes to school and eight years later gets this fancy piece of paper.
She performs a monologue her junior year of high school like I did as a freshman.
“Suitable for Hanging: A Comedy Three Acts” by Donald Payton
Mom played the role of Mrs. Raney, Abby’s mom who is played by the other Sheila.
She travels to this secret forest in the land of corn and wheat for a lovely senior photo.
Larry Bernard’s Best Wishes written on the bottom, along with the initials JB.
Then sends out this giant invitation for her Commencement Exercises.
Class motto: To be what we are and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end in life.
Sing, receive, and leave.
And tear this page out of the yearbook as you go.
TheJessicaness 