Gayle Eugene Wize

Gayle E. Wize of Willow Island, Nebraska passed away Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at the Cozad Community Hospital at the age of 70.  Cremation was chosen and a private family service will be held at a later date. Those wishing to sign the memorial book may do so on Saturday, October 30, 2021 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Berryman Funeral Home, family will be present.

Gayle Eugene Wize was born on January 8, 1951 at Imperial, NE, to Irving and Darlene (Yonker) Wize. He was the oldest of eight children. Having grown up in small, rural towns across Nebraska, he found his way to Gothenburg the same night of graduation from Polk High School, to work for the Department of Roads for the State of Nebraska.

Gayle met and married Claudine Magnuson. They started their family, welcoming their son, Nathan. He became a widower in 1980, but later married Carolyn Miller, adding Kyla to their family. Together, Gayle and Carolyn shared their home and love with children of all ages in foster care --- until Kayla came into their lives and completed their family.

Gayle built a career as a mechanic working on and maintaining small engines and large machinery. However, he loved welding and fabrication --- he was a builder and a doer, but not always a finisher. Pairing together his patience, ingenuity, skills, and his scrapper mentality, Gayle was known for seeing value in materials others would throw away. He maintained a full tool box and was willing to not only lend someone the right tool to get the job done, but to help get the job done right, too.

Gayle worked to serve and provide for his family, both as a sense of duty and responsibility. He honored his family by showing up and doing things that were important to them, even if it was not something that interested him. He had a soft heart and calloused, hard working hands. He did good work nearly every day of his life.

Gayle successfully completed chemotherapy and radiation treatments for lung cancer on October 5, 2021. He was a model patient, having maintained his appetite, health, strength and wit through the intense treatment schedule. His life ended suddenly and unexpectedly on October 26, 2021. He was looking forward to recovering, healing and working in the shop on his 1955 Ford pickup.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Carolyn (Miller) Wize of Willow Island; son and daughter-in-law, Nathan and Alynne Wize of Omaha; daughter and son-in-law, Kyla and Mat Habrock of Hastings; daughter Kayla Born of Ogallala; brothers and sisters-in-law Jerry and Lori Wize; Craig and Kim Wize, all of York; sisters and brothers-in-law Jonie and Eugene Wetzel of Ravenna, Jeannie and Scott Whitt of Marquette, Beckie and David Radke of St. Libory, Polly and Ken Eggli of Polk; sister-in-law Barbara Wize; mother-in-law Margaretha Kloepping of Cozad, step mother Ramona Wize of York; grandchildren Emylyne (Conner) Johnson of Omaha; Alexander Wize of Omaha; Isaac Clarke, Jordan Clarke, Kaiden Born and Kimber Luedke of Ogallala; Fallon Habrock of Hastings.

Gayle was preceded in death by his first wife, Claudine (Magnuson) Wize and infant daughter Laurie Ann Wize; parents, Irving and Darlene Wize; brother, Randy Wize; father-in-law Dave Miller; father-in-law Wilbur “Doc” Kloepping; father and mother-in-law Glen and Betty Magnuson; brothers in law David Miller and Robert Miller. Gayle will be so missed!