Pamela Bertram Wiser Millen

PAMELA KAY BERTRAM WISER MILLEN

My daughter Pamela Kay Bertram was born February 25, 1947 in Iowa City, IA. Her dad Reuben Bertram had returned safely from WW II. We moved to Iowa City so he could finish school at the Univ. of Iowa. He graduated June 1947. His job took us to LaCrosse, WI where Pam's brother Michael Kent was born February 25, 1949. In July of 1950 Reuben died suddenly and our lives were abruptly and sadly changed. I returned to my hometown of Jefferson, IA with Pamela nearly 4 and Michael nearly 2 and I was expecting. Donald Reuben was born October 22, 1950.

Pam attended K-12 in Jefferson graduating in 1965. She was a wonderful big sister to her brothers and liked to be their play school teacher. She was a great helper for me and I treated her more like an adult than I might have had her dad been alive. She was more mature than many her age and took on responsibilities easily. She was a very good student and talked of becoming a nurse or a teacher. Pam's Grandpa and Grandma Price (my parents) lived near us and became an important part of our lives. We went often to Shenandoah IA to be with Grandpa and Grandma Bertram so the kids would know their dad's family. Both sets of grandparents were wonderful role models for Pam and her brothers.

In October 1958 when Pam was 12 and the boys 10 and 8 I married Al Wiser. It was wonderful to be a complete family again and Pam and her brothers were thrilled to have a new dad. He adopted them so Pam's name was now Pamela Kay Bertram Wiser. Al became vocal music director and was teacher to the 3 kids.

Pam enjoyed art classes church camps campfire girls baby sitting visiting relatives and having fun with her friends. In 1961 Timothy was born and in 1963 Tad - two more students for Pam! She took part in many activities at school including music plays speech sports and other school functions. She worked as a nurse's aide at our local hospital - decided nursing might not be her field.

A vocal music position at Ames High brought us to Ames IA in 1965. Pam had enrolled at the University of Iowa in Iowa City and was enjoying the freedom of being on her own. She chose to come back to Ames to attend ISU for her sophomore year and to live at home. She and two other students went to Germany to work for the summer and enjoyed the adventure and travel. She graduated from ISU with a Child Development degree and knew she wanted to work with special needs children. She received her Masters degree from Drake University in Learning Disabilities. She started teaching first in Des Moines then Ames. Pam met Ted Millen in Ames and they quickly discovered they had mutual family ties with India. Ted's dad had been a teacher in Woodstock a boarding school near Delhi and Pam's dad had been one of his young students. Pam's new grandparents William and Charlotte Wiser had been married in India in 1915 and served nearly 50 years as missionaries. Their 3 sons were born there. Ted and his two older siblings were also born in India. His family returned to the States when he was two. These connections between the families soon included many friends from both sides with India backgrounds and interests. Ted and Pam were married in August 1969. Her name was now Pamela Kay Bertram Wiser Millen. They became proud parents of Lisa and David. In 1985 they adopted Charissa from Texas and the next year Jai from Calcutta India - now the families all had a new India connection. The four grandparents became role models for these children.

In 1998 Pam was honored for 25 years of dedicated teaching. She has used her wonderful talents of caring concern for others love of teaching and patience well. Her students and schools have benefited from her career choice. It is with great pride that I honor my beautiful daughter Pamela Kay (always my little girl) with a brick in the Plaza of Heroines. Submitted by: Edna P. Wiser.

5/26/98