This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Carol Wise. 

A former Pearl River County Supervisor died in a car accident in northern Texas Thursday morning.
Joseph “Danny” Wise, 74, of Carriere, was pronounced at the scene of an accident on Highway 87 in Lubbock County Texas, according to a release from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Wise’s wife, Carol, 70, was a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the accident and was transported to a hospital in Amarillo with life-threatening injuries, the release states.
An update on her condition was not available by press time on Friday.
According to police reports, Joseph Wise was driving a 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis northwest when he attempted a U-turn from the right lane, crossing the path of a 2005 Peterbilt truck tractor, which was towing a semi-trailer.
The driver of the truck, Gilberto Ortega, 55, of Dalhart, Texas, was unable to stop in time to avoid the collision, the release states.
Ortega was not injured. All occupants were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident, the release states.
Wise served District II on the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors from 2004 to 2007, choosing not to run for a second term in office.
“He was eager to serve, it was something he had expressed that he had always wanted to do,” Anthony Hales, also a former supervisor who served with Wise, said.
Though he wasn’t too talkative, Hales said Wise studied every situation before making a decision.
But, one of the toughest decisions he faced was whether or not to allow the expansion of the landfill in Millard, Hales said.
Despite taking a stance against the expansion during his campaign, Wise was ultimately the deciding vote that allowed the new cells to be built at the landfill, Hales said.
“But I remember talking to him and explaining to him just how important it was to consider approving this matter,” Hales said. “To my surprise, he changed his stance on it and it passed with 3-2 vote.”
Wise was known in the county for his passion to serve the public and make decisions that benefitted everyone.
“It was a pleasure working with Mr. Danny, he took a sincere approach to the job and just wanted to do what was best for the county,” County Administrator Adrain Lumpkin said.
Despite only serving one term, Lumpkin said Wise was an inspiration.
During the phone interview with the Item Friday morning, Lumpkin read a note Wise wrote years ago for Board Secretary Cindy Lee entitled “Danny’s Rules for Life.”
The long letter stated how Wise felt it was important to trust in the Lord, love family and fellow mankind and place a strong emphasis on honesty, integrity, common sense and hold to convictions.
“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life, it’s more important than education and money,” Lumpkin read from the letter. “Life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it.”
“That was him,” Lumpkin said after he finished reading the letter.
“He made his decisions based on what he thought; if he thought it was going to cost him a vote he didn’t care,” Lumpkin said. “It was his conviction and he held onto that.”
But above all, it was Wise’s devotion to his wife Carol, whom he affectionately called “Momma,” that stood out.
“We were in Washington one year, and Mr. Danny got up and went downstairs, and [Carrol] was upstairs in their room when the fire alarm went off,” Lumpkin said.
After fighting off hotel employees, Wise made it up the stairs.
“It wasn’t but a false alarm, but he went up there and he got Momma,” Lumpkin said.