Wallace J Green

With a life that spanned times of great change around him, Wallace Green was a blessing in the lives of everyone he met. He was a hardworking man who was highly talented as well, but using his gifts and talents to help others was his primary focus. Wally and his wife shared a love that most can only dream of, and together they witnessed their family tree blossom to include children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who made him so very proud. He was the sort of person who never paid any attention to what others thought, and his zest for life was truly contagious. Although he will be deeply missed, Wally will never be forgotten.

It was great to be an American during the 1920s. Innovation led the way to refrigerators, washing machines, and radios, and it was also during this exciting time that Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb made baseball Americas favorite pastime. Amidst this eventful time was a time of celebration in the lives of Grover L. and Zella M. (Bice) Green as they were blessed with the birth of the baby boy they named Wallace Jay on April 4, 1926, on his familys farm on Bryie Road near Churubusco in Allen County, Indiana. It was quite an eventful day when he was born since his mother went into labor after chasing some hogs that got loose! Wally was the fourth of five children as he was raised in the family home alongside his older siblings, Bennie, Evelyn, and Ruth, and his younger brother, Russell.

In many ways Wally was a young boy of his generation. His parents were general farmers, and Wally was always out in either the fields or roaming the woods with his rifle, and of course, shooting his rifle as well. In fact, Wally even wore out two rifles! He attended local schools and graduated from Huntertown High School in 1944. Wally then spent a short time working for a farmer, but since that wasnt working out so well he walked from Churubusco into Ft. Wayne and turned himself in to the draft office, joining the Army. He went on to serve with the 701 Military Police Division and was stationed in Shanghai, China, in 1946.

New and exciting changes were in store for Wally when he met the young woman of his dreams. Her name was Dolores Dee M. McCoy, and they were introduced by mutual friends during the Christmas season in 1946. Sparks flew right from the start, but they didnt start dating until the following May. Deeply in love, Wally and Dee were married at her parents home on the edge of Churubusco onApril 17, 1948. The couple spent five years living in Churubusco and then moved to Ft. Wayne for 11 years. In 1964 they moved from Ft. Wayne west of the city on Highway 14 and lived on a 48 acre farm in Jefferson Township in Whitley County. By 1988, they moved into Columbia City.

To support his family, Wally made a career at Phelps Dodges Indiana Rod and Wire Division in Fort Wayne. Every day he left for work carrying his sticker covered lunch box with the lunch Dee made for him. Wally was there for 41 years, and when he retired in 1988 he was second in seniority. Following retirement, he spent three-and-a-half years fixing coffee machines for Cadillac Coffee, 13 years as a delivery man for TJ Coffee, and then four years at Country Coffee before retiring a second time in 2009.

There was never anything of greater importance in Wallys life than his family. He and Dee welcomed three children including Rebecca, Gary, and Toby into their hearts and home. As a family they enjoyed day trips to visit Dees family near Detroit, Michigan. As Becky was graduating from high school they took their first camping trip, spending two weeks in the Grand Canyon.

Throughout their married life Wally and Dee exemplified what marriage is truly intended to be. They were true soulmates, and Wally always put her first. He ran everything by her including the time that he and two buddies were thinking of getting motorcycles. Although Dee was uncertain at first, they all ended up shopping for them as a group, and Wally and Dee also got matching riding gear. They often went out riding on Saturdays, and they even went down to Kentucky and worked their way home. They also did some camping, usually with couples from Wallys work.

In addition to spending time with his wife, Wally enjoyed some other things. In addition to shooting his gun, he enjoyed fishing - although it was more for the snacks Dee packed him to take along as he enjoyed cookie breaks, lunch breaks, ice cream, and anything sweet. Wally was an avid golfer who played in the company golf tournaments and had even won a time or two. He loved antiques, especially anything that was from his childhood memory and farm related, and he loved showing off his collection, too. A talented artist, Wally liked drawing, painting, and even doing photography and filming any event going on. He gave much of his work away to family members or friends. Wally liked tinkering around making useful items to make life somehow easier as well as houses and forts for the little ones out of cardboard boxes. Wally was a member of Columbia City United Methodist Church, Masonic Lodge Sol D. Bayless Lodge #359, and American Legion Post 98.

When reflecting on the life of Wallace Green, it is easy to see that his family was the light of his life. He could be a joker at times, and he loved making others laugh. Although he cherished his roles as a husband and father, it was becoming a grandfather and great-grandfather that was his greatest reward. Life will never be the same without Wally here, but he leaves behind a timeless legacy that his loved ones will proudly carry on in his footsteps.

Wallace J. Green, of Columbia City, IN., passed away at 4:44 p.m., Wednesday, September 21, 2016. Wallys family includes his wife, Dee Green; daughter, Becky (James) Richards, of Nazareth, Pa.; sons, Gary (Melissa) Green, of Columbia City and Toby (Linda) Green, of Columbia City; sister, Ruth Egolf, of North Manchester; brother, Russell (Betty) Green, of Columbia City; grandchildren, Tracy Snoke, Melissa Miller, Ashley Little, Tyler Green, Corey Green, Nathan Green and Emily Hasty; 12 great-grandchildren. Wallace was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Bennie Green; sister, Evelyn Fry; and great-grandchildren, Abigail Little and Teddy Wallace Green.

Visitation is 4-8 p.m. Monday, September 26, 2016, at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Park Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with Pastor David Arnold of Columbia City United Methodist Church officiating. Entombment will follow at Covington Memorial Gardens with Chaplain Forrest Tabor of Heartland Hospice officiating. Memorials may be given in his memory to Columbia City United Methodist Church or Heartland Hospice. To send Wallys family condolences, visit www.demoneygrimes.com .