Third generation of a pioneer Laurel Pharmacy family, William Estes (Bill) Wallace died at home on July 28, 2019.
He loved his family, his church, and Laurel. He will be remembered as a man who was not afraid of hard work, who enjoyed helping others, and who was happiest when working at Wallace Drug Store or Reddy Freddy Car Wash. Wallace Drugs has been open for 121 years, and he was the owner for the past 40 years.
Mr. Wallace was born May 31, 1939, in Laurel to Mattie Mae and Lew Wallace. He graduated from George S. Gardiner High School and received a B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Mississippi where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order. He was the pharmacy director at Ellisville State School and Wayne General Hospital during his early career before assuming ownership of Wallace
Drugs.
He is survived by his wife, Ginger Clark Wallace, his daughter, Amy Wallace Nosef of Jackson, his brother John Wallace, M.D. of Laurel, and two granddaughters, Rebecca and Lindsey Nosef of Jackson. He is also survived by two nieces, Nancy Jane Wallace Evans (Keith) of Richton and Pamela Wallace Black (Mitchell) of Hammond, LA, and his cousins Adele Wallace of New Orleans, LA and Howard Wallace of Nashville, TN. Mr. Wallace was preceded in death by his wife, Marilyn Dawkins Wallace, his daughter Rebecca Anne Wallace, his parents, Mattie Mae and Lew Wallace, and his brother, Lew Wallace, Jr.
The funeral service will be held at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 30, 2019, at First United Methodist Church in Laurel. Visitation will precede the service at 1:30 p.m. A burial service will follow at Lake Park Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Brandon Black, Mitchell Black, Tony Blakeney, Raleigh Cutrer, Keith Evans, Joe Michael Robertson, and Joel Pierce. Honorary pallbearers are James Davis, Wyatt Davis, Don Hall, Barry Landrum, Ray McPhail, Billy Sumrall, Charles Sumrall, Tony Thaxton, Harry Upton, and Billy Williamson.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or to First United Methodist Church, 420 North 5th Avenue, Laurel, MS 39440.
To sign the online guest book, visit www.memorychapellaurel.com.
