NICHOLLS CLASS OF 1961
Francis T. Nicholls High School
New Orleans, Louisiana
MEMORIAL
Ronald Evan Wismar

Ronald Wismar died September 14, 2011.
The obituary below appeared in The Times-Picayune of September 16 and 17, 2011.

Dr. Ronald Evan Wismar, Clinical Psychologist, entered into life eternal on Wednesday, September 14, 2011. He was 68 years old. A native of New Orleans, Dr. Wismar received his undergraduate degree from Concordia Teachers College in River Forest, Illinois, and taught sixth grade at St. Paul Lutheran School in New Orleans.

He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He taught psychology and was the resident psychologist at his alma mater, Concordia Teachers College. He later practiced clinical psychology in Cocoa Beach, Florida. In 1980 he returned to New Orleans to practice clinical psychology at Chartres Mental Health Center, from which he retired several years ago.

At St. Paul Lutheran Church in New Orleans, he was an elder, served on the worship committee, was a member of the Senior Choir, participated in plays of Capricious Productions and volunteered as a tutor at St. Paul Lutheran School. In addition, he sang in the New Orleans Symphony Chorus, served as a volunteer tour guide with the Friends of the Cabildo, Louisiana State Museum in the French Quarter, was a member of the Mid-City Neighborhood Association and studied French with Alliance Francaise de La Nouvelle-Orléans. He was an avid traveler, having made annual holiday trips to New York City for the past 30 years, as well as visiting cities worldwide.

Dr. Wismar was predeceased by his parents, Richard and Evelyn Wismar, Jr. Survivors include his brothers: Dr. Richard Wismar III (wife Ardith), Bruce Wismar (wife Lynn), and Dr. Keith Wismar (wife Miriam), and his cousin, Dennis Malloy, who was like a brother to him. He is also survived by many other dear uncles, aunts, cousins, godchildren, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Visitation will be at Schoen Funeral Home, 3827 Canal St., on Friday, September 16, 2011, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The funeral will be at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2624 Burgundy St., on Saturday, September 17, 2011, at 10:00 AM. Visitation at the church prior to the funeral will begin at 9:00 AM. In lieu of flowers the family requests contributions to St. Paul Lutheran Church or St. Paul Lutheran School, 2624 Burgundy St., New Orleans, LA 70117.

 

Additional biographical information

Ron attended Concordia Teachers College in River Forest, Illinois, (now Concordia University - Chicago) for four years (1961-1966). Between his junior and senior years, he taught for a year at an elementary school in Centralia, Illinois. In 1966, he graduated with Nicholls' classmates Norman Hellmers and Mike Riemer.

He began his graduate studies in psychology at the University of Iowa, following which he taught for a year at St. Paul Lutheran School in New Orleans, which he, Norm, and Mike attended as grade-schoolers. In 1968, he began six years at Emory University in Atlanta, eventually earning an MA and a PhD in clinical psychology. He then worked for two years at the Brevard County Mental Health Center in Rockledge, Florida. In the summer of 1976, he began four years of teaching and counseling at his Alma Mater, Concordia.

In 1980, he returned to New Orleans to work as a Clinical Psychologist for the Chartres Mental Health Center, from which he retired. Ron’s historic home (including many antiques) was severely damaged in Hurricane Katrina, but was restored. He traveled the world, ran regularly, and made a mean martini.

Ron attended Concordia Teachers College with Nicholls' classmates Norman Hellmers and Mike Riemer. After their junior year, they went home to New Orleans on a raft, traveling 1,400 miles on the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers for 33 days. The story of their trip can be found here: http://freepages.college-alumni.rootsweb.com/~neworleans/