David E. Wallace suddenly passed away Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, after an extended illness. Dave was a longtime resident of East Wenatchee, Wash. He moved to Lewiston in December 2016 to be close to his daughter and son-in-law.
Born Dec. 17, 1949, to Clyde and Anna Wallace in Vancouver, Wash., his family moved to Wenatchee in 1953. In late 1957, the family moved to East Wenatchee, where his parents had a home built on Northeast Fifth Street. Dave was a big brother to Richard, Marna and Clydia and over the years many stories have been shared, repeatedly, about their childhood adventures.
Dave worked for The Wenatchee Daily World during high school and just recently reminisced about the fun he had with the guys stuffing papers. He graduated from Eastmont High School in 1968 and would have joined the service if not for his hearing loss. Instead, he went on to pursue a fulfilling career in civil service. He worked for Ballard Ambulance and the East Wenatchee Fire Department before becoming a deputy with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office in 1976. He lived in Waterville and Bridgeport, Wash., before moving back to East Wenatchee in 1985. He later worked as a detective and was promoted to undersheriff in 1991. He served in this role until his retirement in 2006.
Dave and Cheryl Ann Tompkins were married April 24, 1976. They had two children, Erin Marie, born in August 1977, and David "Stephen," born in December 1978. Dave considered his children his proudest accomplishment. He was in awe of his children, as if he could hardly believe he had had a hand in something so great. He said more than once that if he had known how amazing his kids were going to turn out he would have had 10 "Erin and Stephens." Dave and Cheryl later divorced, but considered each other family and remained exceptionally close.
Dave was an avid reader, and an amateur Civil War and World War II history buff. A travel highlight included a trip to Gettysburg, Pa., in March 2000. He was fascinated by the Wallace and Clausen family history and worked hard to keep it alive through research and telling stories.
Both in stature and heart, Dave was a bear of a man. He had a great sense of humor and was quick to make friends. He told funny jokes and had an easy laugh. In his retirement years he spent many mornings with his buddies shooting the breeze at Coffee Mecca. It was a sad day when the coffee house closed shop. He made a mean meatloaf and it was his go-to meal for visitors. He loved nothing more than having his family around. He loved them all beyond words and was never shy about showing his affection. For that, we are truly lucky.
Preceded in death by his mother and father, Dave is survived by his former wife, Cheryl Wallace, of Seattle; daughter Erin Kolb and son-in-law Todd Kolb of Lewiston; son D. Stephen Wallace and daughter-in-law Jenny Wallace of Moapa, Nev.; grandsons Kellen Wallace, Aidan Wallace and Liam Wallace of Moapa; brother Richard Wallace and sister-in-law Cathy Wallace of Salem, Ore.; sisters Marna Frost and brother-in-law Dennis Frost of Cashmere, Wash., and Clydia Valibeigi and brother-in-law Ali Valibeigi of Seattle; aunts Annette Clausen of Tekoa and Violet Clausen of Rathdrum, Idaho; several cousins; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held Jan. 27 in Wenatchee.
The family is incredibly grateful for the exceptional care provided at Brookdale Assisted Living and Lewiston Transitional Care.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society, the Disabled American Veterans, or an organization close to your heart.
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