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The passing of the aptly named Judge James Owen Wise prompted the Caroline community to express on social media an outpouring of love and respect for the longtime jurist.
Many tributes to him included the words “great,” “respected” and “wonderful.”
Calling him a “cherished member” of the community, the three Caroline County Commissioners posted on Facebook that Judge Wise “was a pillar of service and dedication, and his contributions have left an enduring impact on all of us.”
Judge Wise, 86, died with his family by his side Wednesday, Sept. 4.
He was known as a civic-minded family man and friend, avid golfer, loyal Baltimore Orioles fan, world traveler and doting father and grandfather.
Judge Wise was born in Easton and graduated from Caroline High School in Denton. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, in 1960, and joined the Army, earning the rank of lieutenant.
In 1962, he married Mary Ellen Ellwanger, and they enjoyed 56 years together until her passing in 2018.
While working during the day, he attended the University of Maryland School of Law at night, earning his Juris Doctorate in 1965. He was admitted to the Maryland Bar later that year.
Owen and Mary Ellen returned to Denton in 1966. He practiced law with his father, later following in his father’s footsteps by serving as State’s Attorney from 1970 to 1978, and then as Circuit Court Judge in Caroline County from 1982 to 1999.
Judge Wise also was the Chief Judge of the Second Circuit, and when his elected term of 15 years in Caroline ended, he continued to serve as a retired judge across the Eastern Shore. He was a Senior Judge when he hung up his robe in June 2024.
“His 17 years on the bench were characterized by fairness, wisdom, and an unrelenting dedication to the principles of justice,” Caroline County Commissioners Travis Breeding, Larry Porter and Frank Bartz stated on Facebook.
“Owen was an assistant chief in the Denton VFC when I was a member there,” Kevin Knussman posted on the Moore Funeral Home website.
“He would come in wearing a suit and tie, and take off the jacket and put on the turnout gear,” Knussman recounted. “That wasn’t all that uncommon in Denton with many of the members leaving their office jobs or church to respond. But Owen was a great fire officer among many fine leaders in the company.”
There may be no better testament to Judge Wise’s character than his work with CASA of Caroline, “a mission he passionately believed in noting that CASA gives a real voice to abused and neglected children in the courts,” his family shared in his obituary.
In 2019, Judge Wise recounted a “Brief History of CASA of Caroline,” and modestly declined credit for starting the organization, “All we did was take an existing concept (from Washington state) and brought it here to serve the children of our county,” he wrote.
“As we reflect on his legacy, we remember not only his professional achievements but also the warmth and kindness (Judge Wise) brought into the lives of those around him,” the Commissioners posted. “His impact on our county, our legal system, and the countless friendships he nurtured will be felt for years to come.”
Judge Wise is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Ellen and her husband Michael Vaughan, and their twin sons Griffin and Declan; and his son, James Steven, his wife Amy, and their twin sons Sam and Owen. He is also survived by a younger sister, Gaye Wallen and her husband Dan. He was predeceased by his wife Mary Ellen, his parents James Alfred and Dorothy Wise, and his older sister June Winkler.
