Ronald Gary Wallace

Ronald Gary Wallace was born July 22, 1945 in Santa Barbara, California to James Newton Wallace and Lois Darlene Hendrickson. His three younger brothers are John Lynn Wallace (Carolyn) of Vancouver, Washington; William Scott Wallace (deceased) (Debbie); and Kenneth James Wallace (Diane) of Cleveland, Tennessee.

Gary lived in Santa Barbara until he was 11 years old when they made the big move to the Salinas, California (1956) area, where his father started his own monument business which is still there, Wallace Memorial. After high school, he attended Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo Utah for one year before he left for his mission, the Franco, Belgium mission, to speak French. He served for two years. After his mission, Gary graduated from BYU in Business Management. The banking options for unemployment at that time required moving every year or two and we did not want that for our family so he returned to Wallace Memorial.

Gary was sealed to Teresa Lynn Collier in the Oakland, California Temple on June 20, 1969. On their first year anniversary day in 1970, he received his draft notice to report in one month on his birthday. He served as an E-4 Specialist in the United States Army in the Saigon area army base for 14 months, after six months of Advanced Military Training. He served in the Military Police central office as a clerk. Gary came home to two daughters and began civilian life.

Gary and Teresa have 8 children and 16 grandchildren.

Children:
Lisa Michelle Pierce (Brian)
Lori Jean Wallace
Ronald Gary Wallace Jr. (Sherry)
Spencer William Wallace
Julie Anna Gage (Joseph)
Samuel Benjamen Wallace (Melinda)
John Timothy Wallace (Shannon)
Bryan James Wallace

Gary's profession was monument manufacturing and dealer with a family business of four generations. He also had a cultured marble business for a few years. Gary has made thousands of monuments and headstones in those many years in cemeteries from Half Moon Bay, California to Pasa Robles, California areas. He retired at the age of 71 in the city of Hyrum, Utah.

Gary's interests and hobbies included baseball as a young married father in the Salinas City Baseball League. He also enjoyed music and recording, camping, gardening, freeze-drying, mechanics, tractor and lawnmower riding, and trimming the yard and many fruit trees.

Gary lived a lifetime of membership and service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, always accepting callings. He has learned much and served as ward clerks, in bishoprics, stake high councils, Boy Scout Master, gospel doctrine teacher, stake Seventies Quorum President in the Monterey Bay and Morgan Hill, California Stakes, and ward mission leader for 10 years (working with 72 young missionaries assigned to the Salinas, California Ward over those years of fun service). The last year and a half of his life, Gary and his wife served as service missionaries for the Adaptive Needs Seminary at the Ridgeline High School Seminary building. He will be remembered as the "satellite man", setting up audio/visual for the Salinas Ward for every General Conference, stake Relief Society, or Young Men/Young Women conferences for several decades, recording everything on video cassettes for the ward library. He volunteered and loved it. He served the last one and a half years of his life (ages 79, 80) as a service missionary, alongside his wife, Teresa.

Gary's greatest joy has been his children and grandchildren and the many gatherings and traditions over the years in family scripture time, Family Home Evenings, camping trips, and the hours, days, and years working at the family business with family around him.

Gary passed on Sunday, April 19, 2026, after watching sacrament meeting on Zoom and listening to "Come Follow Up" on BYU TV.

Gary will be greatly missed- Heaven is richer and Earth poorer at his passing.

A funeral service for Gary will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at 2:00 pm, at the Hyrum 15th Ward meeting house, 455 East 100 South, Hyrum, Utah. A viewing will be held prior to the service from 12:30 to 1:30 pm at the church. An additional viewing will be held on Friday, April 24, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Hyrum 15th Ward meeting house, 455 East 100 South, Hyrum, Utah. The interment will be at Hyrum City Cemetery.