Mary Ann Wise Wiggins
December 25, 1940 – December 9, 2023

Funeral services for Mary Ann Wise Wiggins will be held at 2 P.M. Friday, December 15, 2023, at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Terry Wheeless, Justin Wiggins and John Paul officiating. Interment will follow in Springhill Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 6 P.M. until 9 P.M. Thursday, December 14, 2023, at the funeral home.

Mary Ann Wise Wiggins was born on December 25, 1940, in Coushatta, Louisiana and passed away peacefully in her home on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at the age of 82.

Mary Ann is a graduate of Coushatta High School class of 1958. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from Northwestern State University, where she was a member of the Pi Sigma Kappa Sorority. She began her teaching career in US Army Schools in Nuremberg, Germany and also taught in Mineral Wells, TX ISD. She transitioned into the business world, serving as the owner and manager of Mary Ann’s Furniture and Hardware for 20 years. Mary Ann also taught at Springville Middle School, Red River Alternative School, then Ware Youth Center, where she educated incarcerated youth. During that time, continuing her pursuit of education, she attended Louisiana Tech University in 2005 where she obtained a Master’s Degree of Arts in Principalship and Supervision.

Fearless in her pursuit of a better community, she was a dedicated servant who treated everyone the same, judging everyone by their character, rather than by their age, gender, race, or status. She was active in several organizations over the years including Louisiana Association of Educators, Coushatta-Red River Chamber of Commerce, Grand Bayou Reservoir Commission, and was a longtime member of Hall Summit United Methodist Church. She was recognized several times in Who’s Who in America, and for several years, penned the “Wise Old Owl” column for the Coushatta Citizen.

To know her was to love her. Mary Ann was a devoted advocate for people in need and would take you under her wing as family in a heartbeat. Whether you knew her as Mary Ann, Mom, or Mimi, you knew she was at her best surrounded by loved ones. A firm, but gentle mother and grandmother, she instilled the value of hard work and perseverance. She had a passion for travel, having spent time all over the globe including Europe, Belize, and served as a goodwill ambassador in Vietnam. Because of her fearless nature, she was a licensed pilot, owned a Harley-Davidson trike, and ran for Louisiana House of Representatives in 2007. She loved watering her flowers, tending to her chickens and Guinea pigs, and enjoying Diet Dr. Pepper. Her last days were spent surrounded by loved ones singing hymns. Mary Ann was a force, whose sharp wit, bold spirit, and loving nature will be missed greatly.

She is preceded in death by her parents George and Maitland Wise, brothers Nathan, Bo, and Paul Wise, husband Billy Joe Wiggins, and son Joey Wiggins. Left to cherish her memory are her sister Marjorie Clemons, brothers Mark Wise and Jacob Wise, daughters Brenda Giddens and Gail Colson, sons John Paul, Jim Paul, Marshall Wiggins, Brian Paul, Josh Wiggins, Justin Wiggins, 26 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and countless dear friends whom she considered family.

Pallbearers are her grandsons, Joshua James Wiggins, Kody Wiggins, Jeremy Wiggins, Kyle Paul, Tyler Paul, and Garrison Gillespie. Honorary pallbearers are Bill Bacle, Floyd Williams, Walter Weaver and Cecil Shirley.

The family would like to express their gratitude for the kind and compassionate care given to our mother by her caregivers and Hospice of Natchitoches. Mom drew so much comfort from all of you, especially in her final days.