Joel Keith Wallace

Dr. Joel Keith Wallace, Ph.D., age 91, was ushered into the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at Belmont Village Senior Living Sabre Springs in San Diego, California.

Joel was born on November 3, 1933 in Chino, San Bernardino County, California, son of Joel David and Margaret Sirilla (McCuen) Becraft. Joel joined the navy in April 1951 while a senior in high school. This was the first time he used his step-father’s (Perry) last name, Wallace. While in the navy, he served on the West Coast and in Guam as an aircraft structure mechanic on aircraft carriers, including the USS Midway. It was while he was in the navy that a Chief Petty Officer led him to Christ in 1953. Joel was honorably discharged from the navy in September 1954 and after meeting Dr. Bob Jones, he enrolled at Bob Jones University, majoring in Bible and minoring in English. He graduated with a BA in Bible in 1958. In 1958, he enrolled in Talbot Theological Seminary. While at Talbot, Joel studied under Dr. Charles Feinberg in Hebrew and Babylonian cuneiform. He graduated with a BDiv in Theology in 1961 (finished his MDiv from Talbot in 1970). During this time, he served as Minister of Youth at the Inglewood Baptist Church. It was during this time that he met his future wife and love of his life, Winifred Lynne Capps.

Joel and Winifred married on June 17, 1961 in Inglewood, California. Joel joined the army as an officer and chaplain in January 1962. He was stationed at Camp Roberts, in California and while there, he was promoted to captain. In 1963, their first son, David, was born. In 1964, the family of three were sent to Germany for 3 years where their first and only daughter, Susanne, was born in 1966 in the army hospital in Nuremberg. Joel was with a hawk missile battalion during his years in Germany. Joel and Winifred traveled extensively throughout Europe during this time. In 1967, they returned to the States and were stationed at Fort Gordon, Georgia. Joel was assigned to the signal battalion. In 1968, Joel was sent to Vietnam. During his year long tour, he was stationed in Nha Trang and Cam Ranh Bay. Upon returning from Vietnam, the family moved to Colorado Springs where Joel was assigned to Fort Carson. He left active duty in July 1972.

In 1972, he left Colorado and moved to Amarillo, Texas where he was lead pastor at Amarillo Bible Church for over 4 years. In 1973, his youngest son, Jason, was born. During that time, Joel became a contract chaplain at the VA hospital and served in an army reserve hospital unit. In 1975, he enrolled at Luther Rice Seminary and completed his Doctor of Ministry in Clinical Counseling in 1977. 1n 1980, he moved to Dayton, Ohio and went full time with the VA. In 1987, Joel accepted the position of chief of chaplains at the VA hospital in Boise, Idaho. In 1989, he retired from the army reserves as a lieutenant colonel. He retired from the VA hospital in 1993. After retirement, he enrolled in culinary arts at Boise State University. Joel worked at the Double Tree Hotel as a chef and was very active in the local chef's association. In 2012, Joel and Winifred moved to Muskego, Wisconsin to be closer to Susanne and the grandkids. On December 31, 2017, Winifred, his wife of 56 years passed away. On Labor Day 2018, Joel moved to San Diego, California to live with his son David and daughter-in-law, Vanessa. During this time, Joel enjoyed going on walks around the neighborhood, going to the movies, playing bingo, sampling San Diego’s many culinary delights, and taking short trips with David and Vanessa. With his health declining, Joel moved to Belmont Village Senior Living in 2023. Joel leaves behind three wonderful and beloved grown children: David, Susanne, and Jason and their families who will miss him deeply. Together we rejoice in his life, his Christian faith, and the comfort in knowing he is now without pain and is with his Lord and Savior for all eternity.

Joel is survived by sons: Dr. David Wallace and his wife Vanessa, San Diego, CA and Jason Wallace and partner, Kathy Budell, Columbia, MO; loving daughter, Susanne Kramer and husband David, Mukwonago, WI; 3 grandsons: Austin Kramer and wife Megan, Madison, WI, Alexander, and Andrew Kramer, Mukwonago, WI; 2 granddaughters: Alyssa and Abigail Kramer, Mukwonago, WI. Joel was preceded in death by his loving wife, his brother, Arthur Becraft, sister, Sylvia Speer, his parents, and step-father, Perry Wallace.

Services will be held on Monday, November 17, 2025 at the Lotus Chapel at El Camino Memorial - Sorrento Valley, 5600 Carroll Canyon Rd, San Diego, CA 92121 with Pastor Glenn Wade officiating. Visitation and viewing will take place from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm. Services to follow at 12:00 pm. Miliary Honor Guard will take place outside the chapel at 1:00 pm. Interment will be at Miramar National Cemetery.

"For we know that when this tent we live in now is taken down – when we die and leave these bodies – we will have wonderful new bodies in heaven, homes that will be ours forevermore, made for us by God Himself, and not by human hands." 2 Corinthians 5: 1

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:1-4

A visitation will be held at El Camino Memorial - Sorrento Valley, located at 5600 Carroll Canyon Rd, San Diego, CA 92121, on November 17, 2025, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

The funeral service will follow at the same venue from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.

The committal service is scheduled at Miramar National Cemetery, 5795 Nobel Dr, San Diego, CA 92122, on November 17, 2025, from 2:15 pm to 3:00 pm.