Joseph Frederic Wiese Jr. ’57

A prominent banker, Fred died Aug. 30, 2024. Originally from Pennsylvania, he came to Princeton from the Taft School in Connecticut. At Princeton, he majored in history and joined Colonial Club, where he was a vice president and starred on intramural sports teams. He was a member of the Right Wing Club and a leader in the Campus Fund Drive. Senior year he roomed with Bob O’Grady.

A Naval ROTC student, Fred served in the Navy after graduation, attaining the rank of lieutenant junior grade. He married Elizabeth Ann Bracken, a graduate of Mount Vernon Junior College. They relocated to Indianapolis, where he spent the rest of his life, working for Indiana National Bank. Having attended the Wisconsin School of Banking for postgraduate work, he became executive vice president of his bank (now part of JPMorgan Chase). Fred retired and spent time in Florida and Arizona, where he enjoyed watching baseball spring training. He also had a summer home in Leland, Mich.

Fred was one of the founding owners of the Indiana Pacers basketball team, and he and his wife donated funds to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, leading to the building of Wiese Field for children’s baseball teams. They also gave funds for the Luke Bracken Wiese Fund at the Riley Children’s Foundation and the Wiese Bell Tower at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Fred was a board member of numerous local charities.

His wife, Elizabeth, predeceased him. Fred is survived by his children, Brad, Ellen, Ted, and Tom, and their families.