Maria Elvira Champion Wallace

Bedie was born in Brownsville, Texas September 20, 1941 to John Chano Champion and Elvira Guerra Champion as the last of 10 siblings. Siblings included Reynaldo Alberto (Lilia), Rosalinda (Nash), Henrietta (Flavio), John Russell, Robert (Oralia), Luis (Irma), Emaculada Eugene, John Russell (Earlene) and Frank Xavier. She graduated from Brownsville High School in 1961 and continued her studies at Texas Southmost College. She studied education and taught English as a second language and later elementary teaching in Florida. Later, she worked as a telephone operator and had an amazing memory for calendar dates (such as birthdays and dates of important events) and numbers. She could play songs on the piano by ear without the aid of sheet music. She married John Craig Wallace Jr. on May 2nd, 1964 in Hialeah, Florida and had 3 children: Alan Stuart Wallace, Linda Marie and John Craig Wallace III (Marissa). She also doted on her one and only grandson Ethan John Wallace.

Her memory of details about her ancestry made her a resource when family members needed information about their family heritage. She built a great legacy by establishing a program for autistic adults locally. Another legacy she built was devotion she had to her Catholic faith including being a member of the Catholic Daughters of America Divine Mercy Court #2420.

Viewing will be held Wednesday January 7, 2026 from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM with a rosary at 5:00 PM. Visitation will continue Thursday, January 8, 2026 at 8:00 AM, with a funeral mass conducted at 10:00 AM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church 920 Anaquitas St in Mercedes, TX. Funeral services will be conducted by Funeraria Del Angel and Highland Memorial Park 6705 North FM 88, Weslaco, TX on Thursday January 8th.

Pallbearers will be Dr. Joshua Champion, Frank Ramirez, Steven Cody II, Joseph Champion, Matthew Garza, Albert Earl Champion and Jose Martin Lopez. Honorary pallbearers include Miguel Alvarez, Thomas X. Guerra, Luis Champion Jr., Frank Champion, John Russell Champion, Ethan John Wallace, Michael Justin Acosta, Esteban Perez, Victor Valladares, Mario Olmedo, and Joshua Acosta.