Date of Birth:
Tuesday, July 29, 1930
Date of Death:
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Age:
83 years old

Wyman Jesse Black

Wyman died peacefully at his home on August 15^th after spending a beautiful day on the deck with many family and friends visiting throughout the day. He had battled Lewy Body Dementia for several years.

Wyman Jesse Black was born July 29, 1930 to Jesse and Appolonia Black in Kellogg, MN.  He graduated from Kellogg High School in 1948 as the Valedictorian of his class.  While in school he participated in sports, plays, and band. He was a great baseball pitcher for Kellogg High School and Kellogg Legion team.

He joined the Army in 1952 and served for 2 years in White Sands, New Mexico with the missile program.

Wyman was always an ambitious hard worker starting when he was 15, working the Co-op Store and Co-op Creamery in Kellogg until he graduated from high school. He worked on road construction, painted for Black and Graner Painting Co., and worked other jobs including his father’s Machinist’s Shop in Kellogg until starting work at Gillett and Easton Machining in Lake City.  He worked there until he went to work for IBM Rochester in 1959.  He was very proud to be an employee of IBM and enjoyed working there for 31 years, retiring in 1990.

Wyman married Naomi Harlow of Rochester, MN on May 24, 1958.  They moved to Rochester in 1960 and in 1965 they bought a hobby farm 10 miles NE of Rochester. Over the course of their marriage they were blessed with 8 children to complete their circle of love. They were members of St. Francis Church for 37 years and Pax Christi for the past 16 years.

Wyman is survived by his wife of 56 years, Naomi,  3 daughters and spouses: Naomi and Al Strange–Chatfield, Amy and Doug Crowley—Rochester, Bobbi Jean and Mike Tweed—Rochester, 4 sons:  Michael and Maureen Black—Rochester, Andy and Lisa Black—Rochester, Jim and April Black—Shawano, WI, David Black—Rochester, 17 grandchildren: Daniel Strange, Corey and Molly Black, Jacob and Patrick Benike, Rebekah and Sarah Crowley, Mariah, Tucker, Riley, Jesse, and Delaney Tweed, Adrianna, Emmalee, and Braden Black, Kahri Hajos, and Isaac Barton.

Sisters-in-law Marian Jagodzinski—Excelsior, Mary Lou Schouweiler—Kellogg, and Virginia Harlow—Stillwater, MN.  Brothers-in-law Clayton Harlow—Mpls., Don Harlow and wife Sandy—Kellogg, Milton Harlow and wife Alicia—DeRidder, LA and many nieces and nephews.

Preceded in death by daughter Nancy Benike, his parents, his parents-in-law Olyn and Lorene Harlow, brother Jim Black and his wife Catherine, sister Kathryn Black, brothers-in-law Dick Harlow, Dom Jagodzinski, and John Schouweiler, sister-in-law Genevieve Harlow.

Wyman was a strong, gentle man who loved his family, his farm, his hunting land, and life in general.

Family prefers memorials to Lewy Body Foundation, Mayo Hospice, or to the family.

The wake will be Sunday, August 18^th, 4-8 in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home.

There will be a funeral mass at Pax Christi Church Monday, August 19^th, at 11:00 with visitation for an hour before. Interment will be at St. Agnes Cemetery in Kellogg, MN.