WALLACE E. NELSON
WALLACE EDWARD NELSON OF POTOSI, MISSOURI WAS BORN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1922 IN RICHWOODS, MISSOURI, A SON OF THE LATE JAMES CHRISTOPHER AND ELFRIEDA MARIE (STRAUSER) NELSON. WALLACE DIED SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1999 AT THE WASHINGTON COUNTY HOSPITAL AT THE AGE OF SEVENTY-SIX YEARS, TEN MONTHS AND FOUR DAYS.
WALLACE WAS UNITED IN MARRIAGE TO LORETTA "TUDY" CHAMBERLAIN ON MAY 22, 1946 IN POTOSI, MISSOURI. THEY WERE BLESSED TO HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS AND TWO SONS BORN TO THE UNION. TUDY PRECEDED HER HUSBAND IN DEATH ON JANUARY 9, 1991 AT THE AGE OF SIXTY-FOUR YEARS.
WALLACE IS SURVIVED BY HIS LOVING AND DEVOTED CHILDREN, TWO DAUGHTERS, CHERIE NELSON AND FIANCÉ BILL COLEMAN, PEGGY LOU ANN NELSON ALL OF POTOS, MISSOURI; TWO SONS, JERRY NELSON AND WIFE LINDA OF COLUMBIA, MISSOURI, GARY NELSON AND WIFE SHARON OF WEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI; SIX GRANDCHILDREN, FOUR GREAT GRANDCHILDREN; ONE BROTHER, WILLIAM NELSON AND WIFE CORINE OF POTOSI, MISSOURI; ONE SISTER VELMA STROUP AND HUSBAND RANEY OF POTOSI, MISSOURI AND BY MANY OTHER RELATIVES AND FRIENDS. IN ADDITION TO HIS PARENTS AND WIFE, WALLACE WAS ALSO PRECEDED IN DEATH BY ONE BROTHER, WAYNE VERNON NELSON AND ONE SISTER RUBY YARBOURGH.
WALLACE WAS A UNITED STATES ARMY VETERAN, HAVING SERVED DURING WORLD WAR II FOR THREE YEARS. HE SERVED IN RYKUYUS, SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES AND NEW GUINEA. HE WAS AWARDED THREE BRONZE STARS FOR THE CAMPAIGNS.
PRIOR TO HIS RETIREMENT WALLACE, BETTER KNOWN AS WALLY BY HIS CO- WORKERS WAS EMPLOYED BY LACLEDE GAS COMPANY IN ST. LOUIS. WALLACE ENJOYED SPENDING TIME TALKING AND TELLING OF HIS TIME WITH THE MILITARY, HE CONTINUED TO HAVE A GREAT INTEREST IN POLITICAL AND MILITARY HISTORY, ALWAYS TAKING TIME TO READ A NEW BOOK OR STORY ABOUT THEM. HIS LEISURE TIME WAS SPENT WATCHING WILDLIFE ADVENTURES AND DOCUMENTARIES ON TELEVISION. WALLACE WAS ALWAYS FINDING SOMETHING TO TINKER WITH ON THE TRUCK, WITH HIS INQUISITIVE MIND , HE WOULD TAKE A CHALLENGE TO INVENT A NEW TOOL OR TECHNIQUE. ONCE THE TRUCK WAS FIXED HE LOVED TO JUST GO RIDING AND LOOKING AROUND THE AREA.
WALLACE WAS A KIND AND LOVING FATHER, GRANDFATHER, GREAT GRANDFATHER, BROTHER AND A CHERISHED FRIEND TO ALL WHO KNEW HIM AND WILL BE SADLY MISSED AND LOVINGLY REMEMBERED BY ALL.
VISITATION WAS HELD ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 1999, FROM 2:00 TO 9:00 P.M. AT MOORE FUNERAL HOME IN POTOSI.
FUNERAL SERVICES WERE CONDUCTED MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 1999, AT 11:00 A.M. AT MOORE FUNERAL HOME WITH REVEREND DON STRAUSER OFFICIATING. BURIAL WAS IN THE SUNSET HILL CEMETERY IN POTOSI UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MOORE FUNERAL HOME, POTOSI.
SERVING AS PALLBEARERS WERE RONNIE CHAMBERLAIN, EDDIE CHAMBERLAIN, JOHN PIERCE, CODY PATRICK, ROBERT POLITTE AND BILL COLEMAN.