Larry Wallace was a "Lonesome Dove" kind of man. He was a long, tall, Texan with a mischievous grin and dancing blue eyes. If you think that this is your typical "he was born, married, worked, and died type of story," then you're wrong, because "it ain't dying I'm talking about, it's living!

Walter Larry Wallace was a larger than life type of character molded from the Texas clay. He came from generations of hard-working Texas farmers. He was born in Belton, Texas on November 20, 1947 to Jessie Walter Wallace and Winnie Evonne Latham. He was the third child and the only son in a sea of sisters, which included Wilma, Margie, and his baby sister, Pat. He bonded with the life of a farmer early on. He was only 8 years old when he started driving the tractor. Even though he was too small and had to sit on a thick phonebook in order to drive it, he knew that he was born to drive.

While he seemed like a typical Southern boy in so many ways, we were shocked when he told us that he had a drug problem growing up. Yes sir, he told us he was drug to church on Sunday morning, he was drug to church on Sunday night, he was drug to church on Wednesday night. He was drug there every time that the doors were opened. . . He really did tell that story but as much as Larry loved Jesus and people, we know that he wouldn't have had to be drugged there. He was actually saved as a young boy at Davilla Assembly of God.

In fact, it was Larry's love of people and Jesus that brought him to SAGC (now SAGU) in 1966. It was here in Waxahachie that he made the connections that would change his life forever. It was here that he met good friends like Dennis Otwell, Sam Humphrey, and Bobby Cobb. It was here that one of his professors, Miriam Reinhold, had a beautiful daughter named Jeanette who won his heart. He married her on April 6, 1968. He was soon a very busy man - going to college, being a husband, working on the docks at Red Ball Trucking, and not too long after that, he became a daddy to a baby girl named Cami. Later, in 1976, he would add a son, Chad, to his family.

He graduated from college but the adventure of the open road beckoned and that love of driving called to him again. He drove trucks for over 30 years for companies like Red Ball, Churchill, and Northwestern. He was a valuable employee and a treasure trove of information. Larry loved to joke and tease and he could be making fun of you, but he said it in such a way that it took you a minute to realize what he had just said. He knew how to say things to make a man stop and think. It was this knowledge and his good character that had him voted in on the board of University Assembly of God Church for over 20 years. He loved to serve and did not mind being the only guy in the kitchen washing dishes. One of the stories that Larry would never have told us about himself shows the type of character and stubbornness that he had when he knew that what he was doing was right.  When Billy Ray Brummett was the pastor, Larry had done everything that he could to try to entice the board to give Brother Brummett a raise. Finally in exasperation and convinced that this was what God wanted - he offered to pay the raise out of his own pocket each month if the board would just give their approval - They did.

Larry knew that certain things were worth fighting for - whether it was defending a woman involved in domestic abuse, giving your hard-working pastor a raise or trying to restore broken relationships with the ones that you love.

Larry retired from trucking in 1998, ready to spend happy years of retirement on his farm with his wife. Unfortunately, life threw him a curve when Jeanette was diagnosed with cancer and died in 2000. He was lonely and maybe a little bored, so he turned back to his love of driving. This time he was driving for McNaughton. (This is a business that he would later develop into his own business called Wallace Express.) One evening, he was fixing to leave for Morganza, Louisiana when he asked his good friend, Michele Willert, if she would like to ride with him - leave it to him to ask a girl to go on a truck drive for a first date.  It was true friendship. It was true love and the beginning of a beautiful life together. They married on April 14, 2001.

Jesus and laughter were the centerpieces of their life together. They lived to serve God and also laugh at themselves and make others laugh. He loved his wife well and took such good care of her and spoiled her.

Larry loved not only Michele but her whole family. Their home was a hub for family get-togethers.  They became the true picture of a blended family with children from both sides, former and present in-laws and outlaws, every combination that you could imagine of Willerts, Wallaces, Reinholds, and Greens. Larry loved his family well. He invited the fatherless to become a part of his family. Heaven only knows how many people there are who have said that Larry stepped in and became a father to me when my father was gone. He loved his grandbabies and they were his pride and joy. He would call them thieves who not only stole his heart, but spent a great deal of his money. Still,  it wasn't just his grandbabies who were drawn to him.

His effect on children is somewhat legendary. He was like the Pied Piper.  He has been described as a little bit Peter Pan (minus the tights), a little bit Tom Sawyer, with a dash of John Wayne thrown in. He was a big kid who loved to play and tease. He even knew how to make work fun or at least he tricked you into working while you were having fun.

He had a lot of non-politically correct sayings like: "He's an idiot."
"You ain't right!" and the ever popular "Shut up, Stupid!" But we know that most of the time he said them in love and fun.

As you can see, this story is not about how Larry died. In fact, it doesn't really matter how he died, but it matters how he lived. It matters that he lived for Jesus and wanted everyone else to know him the way that he knew him. It matters that he became a father to the fatherless.  It matters who he loved. It matters that he loved each and every friend and family member. I think that most of us could truthfully call him "the man that I loved who loved everyone."

He is survived by his loving wife; Michele Wallace, his children: Chad and Sarah Wallace, Cami & Bill Dodds, Paul & Kerri Willert, Miranda & Scott Rogers, Mareska Willert, Melloydee & Manuel Benavides, grandchildren: Landon & Tristan Dodds, Cody Ray, Kyleigh & Conner Willert, Mandy, Jace & Mac Benavides, Caitlyn & Cali Joy Rogers, honorary grandchildren: Matthew Green & Alex Tidmore, and three sisters: Margie Adkisson, Pat Duffield, Wilma & Frankie Jarolik.

Larry will be missed greatly by all who knew and loved him.

In lieu of flowers the family kindly request that donations be made in Larry's honor to the building fund of Full Life Assembly of God Church. The link below can be used for donations.

Donation in Honor of Larry Wallace