IN LOVING MEMORY OF

Sammie Mae Wise

“Some people leave behind memories; others leave a legacy. Sammie Mae Wise left both.”

Sammie Mae Wise was born on October 2, 1939, in Lexington, South Carolina, to the late Samuel Gardner and May Bell Gardner. She entered eternal rest on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 2:30 a.m., at Prisma Health Parkridge Hospital. She departed this life leaving a beautiful legacy of faith, strength, compassion, resilience, and unconditional love.

Sammie was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Willie E. Wise Sr., affectionately known as “June Bug”; her beloved son, Tommy R. Gardner; her parents, Samuel Gardner and May Bell Gardner; and her cherished siblings, Vandalus “Tap” Gardner, Samantha “Tiny” Gardner, Annabelle “Tip” Gardner Johnson, Blondell “Tooley” Gardner Boyd, and Cynthia “Tete” Wise.

As the youngest of six children, Sammie was the last surviving Gardner sibling. She often shared one of her favorite childhood stories with a smile. As a little girl, she would ask her father why all of her brothers and sisters had nicknames that began with the letter “T,” while she did not. With a grin, he would reply, “I ran out of T nicknames.” That simple exchange became a treasured family story, reflecting the laughter, love, and close bond they shared throughout their lives.

As a young woman, Sammie ventured to New York, where she worked as a nanny and lived with her Uncle John for a time. She also worked in a soup factory in Hudson, New York. After returning to South Carolina, she met the love of her life, Willie E. Wise Sr., known affectionately as “June Bug,” and together they built a life and home grounded in faith, love, and the values they cherished.

Professionally, Sammie was a gifted seamstress who took great pride in her work at Lexington Sportswear. Her talent with a needle and thread extended far beyond the workplace. Many evenings, after a full day's work, she would sew late into the night, making clothes for her children, her husband, and herself to help save money. Every stitch reflected her love, sacrifice, creativity, and devotion to her family. She later worked as a telephone repair technician at Master Tech and lovingly cared for infant children as a daycare provider. The children she cared for never forgot her kindness, and many returned years later to visit the woman who had loved them so well.

Beyond her work and accomplishments, it was the simple things that made Sammie so special. She loved starting her mornings with a hot cup of black, strong coffee—no sugar and no cream.

When asked how she liked her coffee, she would simply say, “Straight up.” She liked it black and strong because, she said, it reminded her of who she was. Like her coffee, Sammy was strong, genuine, and unwavering.

Sammie loved to sing and dance, and her radiant smile could brighten any room. Her joyful spirit and zest for life were contagious. She embraced life with love and gratitude and faced its challenges with courage, grace, determination, and faith.

She served faithfully at Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church, where she especially loved to sing. Her faith was a cornerstone of her life. She instilled love and a fighting spirit in her family—a spirit that continues to live on through her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and generations to come.

Sammie was truly a fighter. She survived cancer three times, overcoming challenges that caused many to marvel at her strength. During her 56day stay at Prisma Health Richland Hospital, Sammie's joyful spirit, unwavering faith, and kindness touched the lives of countless nurses, respiratory therapists, medical assistants, and other members of her care team. One physician who witnessed her strength told her, “Ma'am, you are a strong woman of God, and your faith shows.”  Those words echoed what her family and friends already knew: Sammie carried a spirit that simply would not be broken. She was a fighter in every sense of the word, continuing to fight for life until the very end. Her strength became one of the greatest gifts she passed down to her family.

Sammie Mae Wise leaves to cherish her precious memory her devoted son, Willie Edward Wise Jr., affectionately known as “Junior”; her beloved grandchildren, Andrea Gardner, Samantha Gardner, Christopher R. Peters, Brandon Wise, DeShawn Bostick, Joshua Wise, and Tamia “Lady Bug” Wise; nine beautiful greatgrandchildren; her beloved brother-in-law Joseph Wise and his wife Al Wise; her sisters-in-law Joyce Wise and Brenda Holley; her brother-in-law Paul Wise; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other loving relatives, and dear friends, all of whom she cherished and loved.

Though the hearts of her family are heavy, they find comfort in knowing that she is now free from pain and resting peacefully in the presence of the Lord. They can imagine her singing with the heavenly choir and dancing with joy, whole and at peace.

Sammie's love, laughter, faith, wisdom, strength, and joyful spirit will forever remain in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.

Sammie never liked to say goodbye. Instead, with a warm smile, she would throw up the peace sign and say: “Toodaloo!”  And as if she were speaking directly to each of us one last time you would hear her say: “Even though I am gone, I am not far away. I will always be with you and forever in your heart.

Until we meet again... Toodaloo.”

Forever loved. Forever remembered. Forever in our hearts.