Foy E. Wallace, Sr., Dean Of Texas Ministers, Passes

Foy E. Wallace, Sr., 78, dean of local ministers of the church in Texas, passed at a hospital in Tyler, Texas, early Monday morning, November 21, following a blood transfusion. He was the father, uncle, grandfather, or father-in-law of thirteen preachers.

He was born in Anderson County, Texas. He was baptized by his own father, and at the age of eighteen joined his father and two uncles in preaching to make the fourth in his family. According to a news dispatch in the Dallas News of November 22, when he went to Austin later to work full time with the church, there was only one other located preacher with a church of Christ in Texas, the other being with a Dallas church. He has been referred to many times during the years since that time as an almost ideal local preacher. As a part of his obituary read at the funeral service at Longview, where he lived at the time of his passing, an outline of his conception of what a preacher should do and he was read.

At the funeral service in the Longview Church, Tuesday morning at 10 A. M., James W. Adams, who is minister of the church, and Boyd Fanning, of Childress, Texas, conducted the preliminaries. As a Scripture reading, Brother Fanning read the Indian version of the 23rd Psalm. Foy Baird, of Kilgore, Texas, a namesake of Brother Wallace, was called to the stand to lead the audience in the favorite song of the deceased, "There Is a Habitation." Brother Baird was a member of a quartet from Kilgore that sang two songs.

C. R. Nichol, lifetime friend of Brother Wallace, delivered the address. He sought to correct several misconceptions of death, bringing out the brighter aspects, and pointed out the joy of standing at the end of a successful life. He said that the life of Brother Wallace had been a success in the truest senses of the word.

The building was filled, and scores filled the entrances, and the aisles next to the walls. Flowers in well arranged tiers filled the front of the building, almost to the ceiling. Many preachers were present.

As soon as practical after the service, the family and friends set out upon a more than two hundred mile journey to Georgetown, Texas. There another very large crowd had assembled for a service at the grave. At this service, G. H. P. Showalter, of Austin, Texas, was the speaker. Georgetown was the home of the Wallace family when the first Sister Wallace passed. Incidentally, it was the same two speakers, Brethren Showalter and Nichol, on that occasion, in 1913.

The passing of Brother Wallace was unexpected. On the seventh day before his death, he preached at Denison, where his son, Paul Wallace, is the minister. And on the following Wednesday night, he preached (probably at Greggton). On Thursday, before his death, he suffered a hemorrhage of the bladder. Just as a precautionary measure, he was taken to a hospital at Tyler. In order to stop the bleeding, he was given one or more blood transfusions. When this was accomplished, the blood clot formed went to his heart, and he died of a coronary occlusion.

He is survived by his wife, six sons, and five daughters. The children are: Cled E. Wallace, Lufkin, Texas; Foy E. Wallace, Jr., Oklahoma City, Okla., Paul L. Wallace, Denison, Texas; R. E. Wallace, Roswell, N. M.; Durward Wallace, McCamey, Texas; Tom Wallace, Vivian, La.; Mrs. Nolan Queen and Mrs. Mattie Lee Benskin, both of Weatherford, Texas; Mrs. H. E. Speck, San Marcos, Texas; Mrs. Walter W. Sykes, Indianapolis, Ind.; Mrs. Hulen L. Jackson, Dallas, Texas. He is also survived by thirty grandchildren, and fifteen great grandchildren. Five of the sons are preachers, and the other is an active church worker. Three of his grandsons are preachers. Wilson Wallace, a grandson, was ill at home. Dow Wallace, another grandson, is in a hospital at Galveston, Texas, but is reported improving rapidly.

Two nephews, Glenn L. Wallace, Abilene, Texas; and G. K. Wallace, Wichita, Kans., were present at Longview. Three sons-in-law, Speck, Sykes, and Jackson are preachers.

Brother Wallace in his earlier years as a preacher did evangelistic work, going into a number of states for meetings. He probably preached full-time for twenty or more churches. Here is a partial list: Austin, Center, Corpus Christi, Denton, Gainesville, Georgetown, Greggton, Kilgore, Longview, Mt. Enterprise, New London, Paris, Runge, San Benito, Sherman, Weatherford, all in Texas.

Brother Wallace is also survived by one brother, father of Glen L. and G. K. Wallace; and two sisters, Mrs. Marietta Maroney, and Mrs. Ella Cantrell, both of Austin, Texas.