John 'Tom' Wissman

It is with great sadness we announce the death of our father, grandfather, brother, teacher and friend, John Thomas Wissman.

“Tom” was born Dec. 24, 1940, in Cape Girardeau as the exact middle of seven children born to Lester and Marjorie Wissman.

Tom was a scholar, a professor, photographer and keen observer who preferred to be behind life’s camera and not in front of it! He was a lifelong traveler before traveling to his last destination of Austin, Texas, with his sons and their families in 2012. He died peacefully in the early morning of Wednesday, July 6, 2016.

In 1959, Tom left his hometown of Cape Girardeau to serve his country in the U.S. Army at the beginning of the Vietnam War. He was stationed in Germany during his military service — perhaps this is when Tom was bitten by the traveling bug and developed a propensity for new languages and culture!

After his military service, Tom returned to Cape Girardeau to begin his college career. He earned a B.A. in French and Spanish from Southeast Missouri State University in 1965; a M.A. in French with a minor in linguistics from The University of Missouri in 1966; and finally, after completing all of the required coursework, he was only a dissertation short of earning a Ph.D. in Baroque French Poetry from the University of Iowa in 1970.

Sharing his love of languages with others was his passion. Although Tom had tremendous, superior-level fluency in French, he also spoke German and Spanish with great competency and also spoke a little Russian and Italian. He taught French at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois; Mankato State University in Mankato, Minnesota; and Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri. Tom taught both French and Spanish at the middle- and high-school level, too. In El Paso, Texas, he enjoyed teaching at Ysleta High School, Socorro High School and El Paso Community College until he moved to San Antonio, teaching at both Kitty Hawk Middle School and Brackenridge High School until he retired in 2000. During his time in San Antonio, Tom also served as the president of the Alliance Francasie for many years, a group he dearly loved. The last 15 years of his professional life took him to the South of France each summer with many of the students he taught, showing them the country he loved so dearly.

After he retired, Tom moved to the South of France, where he lived for eight years. In 2008, he returned to the United States, making Springfield, Missouri, his new home and enjoying visits with his brothers and sisters in the area.

Tom has two sons, Kent and Marc, with his first wife, Helen Smith, and a third son, John, with his wife, Paula Srubar. A self-proclaimed romantic, Tom enjoyed other long-term marriages and relationships that did not produce children, but love and companionship.

Tom is survived by his brothers, the Rev. Patrick Wissman, Joe Wissman and Gerard Wissman; and sisters Mary Ann Wissman, Francine Haupt and Katie Lacewell, all of Missouri. Tom also is survived by his three sons and five grandchildren who reside in Texas: son Kent and wife Ellen, son Marc and wife Debra, and son John and wife Brittany; and grandchildren Taylor, Jake, Marc Andrew, Austin and Axel.

A memorial celebration of immediate family will be held today in Missouri. Please email Marc.Wissman@gmail.com for information to send condolences directly to the family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the charity of one’s choice.