Obituary of Dan Howard Wise

Dan H. Wise passed away peacefully in his Boalsburg home, Tuesday March 3rd, 2015. Dan was born November 24th, 1953 in Danville, Pennsylvania to Howard E. and Helen E. (Dickerson) Wise. Dan and his brothers split their time growing up between their home in State College and the beloved family farm in Spring Mills. Dan graduated from State College Area High School in 1971, and went on to study Agricultural Engineering and Mechanization with a minor in Music at The Pennsylvania State University. Dan was a custom home builder for almost 40 years, and he first committed himself to high performance, sustainable, green construction almost a decade ago. He was a Certified Green Builder and a Certified Green Professional, as well as a dedicated educator and advocate for the green construction industry, and the building industry as a whole. In 2013 he was awarded the National Home Builders Association Green Builder of the Year Award. Dan was also honored in 2014 as one as 30 individuals nationwide to receive the first ever Home Innovations Lab Green Partner Distinction Award, an honor he was especially proud of. Dan was also a dealer for Lindal Cedar Homes Board, based out of Seattle, WA, and served on their Board of Directors. Dan also spearheaded Lindal's initiative to become the first and only National Green Building Standard certified systems-built manufacturer in the country. Dan was also a longtime member of the Pennsylvania Builders Association, where he was a Life Director. Dan was an ardent member of the building industry in many aspects, from building codes to legislative advocacy, and his presence and passion will be sorely missed. In addition to his accomplished professional life, Dan's personal life was equally as rich and fulfilling. Music was a large part of Dan's life, whether it be singing in the choir at State High or Pine Hall Lutheran Church, to playing in many bands, with many dear friends, to singing around the piano with his daughter. He was a talented musician and his mean renditions of Jimmy Buffett tunes are one of the many things his family will miss dearly. Dan loved to garden, something he learned from his father and growing up on the farm. He also enjoyed sports, particularly Penn State Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates baseball. One of his favorite pastimes was attending a home Penn State football game with his wife, or a Sunday Penn State wrestling match with his daughter. Dan was preceded in death by two infant sons, Joshua and Jason, his son Jeremy Russell, 29, and his father Howard, 90. He is survived by his mother Helen, of Spring Mills, his brothers David Wise (Nancy), of State College, and Dirk Wise (Michelle) of Spring Mills, as well as his 5 nephews and 1 niece. Dan is also survived by his loving wife of nearly 35 years, Kathleen, his daughter Erin and son-in-law, Chad Fisher, of State College, and the apples of his eye, his twin grandbabies, Sydney Kathleen and Mason Russell. The services to celebrate his accomplished life will be heldFriday March 13th, 2015 at Koch's Funeral Home in State College, Pennsylvania. Visitation will be held from 11am to 2pm, with a second visitation beginningat 5pm. A memorial service will immediately follow at 7:30pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dan Wise Memorial Fund at the First National Bank at400 Boal Avenue Boalsburg, Pennsylvania 16827. The Dan Wise Memorial Fund will be used in the coming months to establish the Dan Wise Memorial Scholarship for a student studying in the Building and Construction Technology Program at State College Area High School, a program Dan was so very passionate about. Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfunerlahome.com or visit us on Facebook.