WALLACE, ROLAND
(“Wally”, “Rube”)
April 1, 1930 – Nov. 27, 2013
Wally passed away at home surrounded by his loving family on November 27, 2013. He was born on April 1, 1930 in Calgary, Alberta, the only son and youngest of Kezia McKay and James Wallace’s four children. He grew up during the great depression in the small, southern Alberta ranching community of Brooks, where he attended school, worked the family ranch, hunted, fished and began his life-long affiliation with Canada’s national pastime, ice hockey. On the ice Wally had blazing speed, was an outstanding goal scorer, and traveled extensively throughout western Canada chasing his NHL dream and playing the game he loved.
In 1950, while visiting his sister (Norma) in Vancouver, British Columbia, he met the love of his life, Jessie Anne (Judy) Williams. He moved to Vancouver in late 1950 and they were married after a five-year courtship on August 13, 1955. Wally and Judy lived in Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta from 1955-59, and with the promise of adventure in the newly added 49th state, they immigrated to Alaska in 1959.
Wally worked in the welding and compressed gas industry in Anchorage which served Elmendorf Air Force Base during the Cold War and Cuban Missile Crisis. He continued to play semi-professional hockey and along with Judy, were charter members of the Anchorage Curling Club. He was a survivor of the March 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake (Magnitude 9.2) and in search of warmer, sunnier climate, Wally and his family left Alaska in 1965 settling in Meford, Oregon area. He worked in mill supply sales for the Tillman & Booth Company and called on lumber mills throughout Central and Eastern Oregon. To be closer to his clients, Wally, Judy and their two young sons moved to Bend in 1969. Over the next 23 years, Wally worked for a variety of mill supply, plumbing and electric, hardware and auto sales companies before finally retiring from Pozzi Windows in 1992. He was an active member of the Bend Lions Club, The Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Tumbleweeds Square Dance Club, the Archeology Society of Central Oregon and Trinity Episcopal Church. He coached Little League baseball, took great interest in genealogy, studying Western North American Indian culture and fur trade history, in addition to camping, attending rodeos, fishing the lakes and rivers of central Oregon and Alaska, skiing Mt. Bachelor and traveling throughout Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest.
Wally established youth and adult hockey programs at the Inn of the 7th Mountain ice rink in 1971 and for over 35 years he coached generations of Central Oregon ice and roller hockey players until health issues required him to hang up his skates. Since 2011, local ice hockey players compete each year for the Wally Wallace Cup which recognizes and celebrates his contributions to the ice sports culture of Central Oregon.
Wally is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Judy of Bend, and two sons: Scott Wallace (wife Karen) and grandchildren (Spencer and Rachel) of Bend; and Lindsay Wallace (wife Phyllis) and grandchildren (Ethan and Ryan) of Portland. The family wishes to thank Partners in Care Hospice, the staff of Home Instead, and Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home for their compassion and care.
A memorial service was scheduled for January 4, 2014 at 2 pm at Trinity Episcopal’s interim place of worship (Historic St. Francis Catholic Church at NW Franklin Ave. and Lava Rd. in Bend) followed by a Celebration of Life at Aspen Hall in Shevlin Park. In memory of Wally and his dream of ice-based recreation for our community, please consider a donation to the Bend Park & Recreation Foundation’s Ice Facility Fund (Simpson Pavilion & Program Fund) by mail at 799 SW Columbia St. Bend, OR 97702, or on-line at www.bendparksandrec.org/info/Foundation/ (click the upper right under Simpson Pavilion Fund). Please sign the guest registry for the family at www.niswonger-reynolds.com.
