Byron "Ray" Wallace Jr.

Born in Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida on October 2, 1938, he was preceded in death by his wife, Madeline Green Wallace and parents, Byron Ray Wallace Sr. and Kathryn Elizabeth Williamson. Ray was the oldest of four children. His sister, Susan and his brother, Randy have preceded him in death. His brother, Robert, is the only living member of his immediate family. Ray attended Plant High School in Tampa, where he was very social and athletic. He loved to dance and worked summers while in college at Port Huron, Michigan. He enjoyed playing football, loved watching baseball and was a die-hard Braves fan.

Ray was a member of the Army Reserves. He graduated from the University of Tampa School of Business in 1963 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. This served him well as he climbed the corporate ladder within the Winn-Dixie stores chain which moved him from the Tampa Bay Area to Atlanta in 1969. He eventually left Winn-Dixie and continued in the industry and had a successful career as a frozen food broker.

Fishing was his passion, as it was with all of the Wallace clan. He was a voracious reader, witty and had a light hearted sense of humor. Ray was very hard working and industrious.

Survivors, in addition to his brother, include three daughters, Julie Ann Wallace, Gwen Ann Besselievre, and Ashley McFadden Prudames. He had five loving grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 26 at 11 a.m. at the Athens First United Methodist Church Chapel with a reception following in the John Wesley Parlor.

Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.