Pastor Wismar was born in New York City in 1943 to the Rev. Adolph and Norma (Just) Wismar. He attended Concordia College Bronxville, N. Y. and was graduated from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis in 1969. In 1975, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Ministry from the Colgate Rochester Divinty School in Rochester, New York. He was married to Barbara Fulling in 1968. The Wismars have three grown children, Timothy, Kathryn, and Julia.
From 1969 to 1983 Pastor Wismar served as pastor of St. Mark's Lutheran Church in West Henrietta, New York. Following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, Pastor Wismar worked with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services to help resettle over five hundred refugees from Southeast Asia, Europe, and Africa in New York State.
Since Pastor Wismar arrived in Quincy he has worked to provide and maintain services for homeless people through the Quincy Interfaith Sheltering Coalition, now known as Fr. Bill's Place. He currently serves as president of the Board of Directors at Fr. Bill's Place. He also has served as president of the Wollaston-North Quincy Interchurch Council and as member of the Board of Directors of Lutheran Social Services of New England. He is presently on the Board of Lutheran Community Services of Southern New England. In addition to having served on the Human Rights Commission and the Gateway Cities Committee for the City of Quincy. Pastor Wismar presently serves on the Affordable Housing Trust Committee for the City.
Pastor Wismar helped establish a number of outreach services to Quincy's Asian residents during the early years of their arrival in the City. He helped establish services including ESL (English as a Second Language), Job Placement and advocacy programs as well as cross-cultural activities and celebrations.