Gary Walleye and P-Pa Eldridge Wallace

Gary Eldridge Wallace, 67 yrs., was born June 28, 1943 in a small town in Ione, WA in the home of his grandparents, Albert Chester Enyeart and Bessie Josephine Burger. His parents were George Joseph Wallace & Betty Jeanne Enyeart. He was the youngest of four children, Joseph Kent (Buck), George Conrad, Mary Kathleen Harper, respectively. His parents separated when he was a baby, and he and Buck were raised states apart from George and Mary. He wasn’t privileged economically as a child, and often went without monetary items. However, there was always love. He grew up in this small town where most of the residents were his relatives. He always managed to find trouble and mischief as a child. His grandparents had a major role in his upbringing and he loved them dearly. He was reunited with his two siblings when he was a teenager.

At 17, Gary and his sister hitchhiked to California to live with their father. It was in California he met the girl he was to marry. He enlisted in the Army, 101st Airborne Screaming Eagles on June 28, 1960 & was honorably discharged on June 27, 1963. He completed boot camp in Fort Ord, CA, and he was stationed in Fort Campbell, KY. He was on alert status during the Bay of Pigs Invasion during John F. Kennedy’s presidential years. He developed the measles and began writing Madonna. It was in those letters their love began to blossom. He married Madonna Marie Murphy September 19, 1964 in Long Beach, CA. He always said it was because of her that kept him in line and out of trouble. Together they had two children, Gary Joseph and Jodi Ann, respectively.

His 37 year career began at Douglas Aircraft (McDonnell Douglas/Boeing) , in transportation, the day his son was born October 11, 1966. He was a long haul driver and drove across the 48 continental states. He drove locally as well. He met many wonderful friends at his place of employment. He retired from Boeing December 31, 2002.

In his retirement, Gary enjoyed fishing and playing pool at the Regal Inn. He spent time camping with family in the Sierra’s and the desert. He and his wife went sight-seeing: Graceland, Grand Canyon, Colorado, Washington, Mexican Rivera cruise and Mount Rushmore. He enjoyed Sunday BBQ’s and spending time with his family. Some of his greatest moments were seeing his two grandsons, James Ray, Jr. and Jack Eldridge Langley. They were his pride and joy. He loved them from the moment they were born, just like his own two children.

Gary liked and was good at many things: John Wayne, western movies, Lonesome Dove, Marty Robbins, Johnny Horton, Elvis Presley, money (coins), Ronald Reagan, watching his son and grandsons play sports, his dogs, pickled eggs, beef jerky, pistachios, ice cream, cooking breakfast for his grandsons, military movies, the History channel, U.S History, the game Dominoes which he taught his grandsons, cooking hotdogs and wallarino’s, the Dodgers, Los Angeles Rams, Lakers, gizzards, soup (or anything with Juick-he always added the “k” sound to words), beer, the name Fred (every animal & grandchild was almost converted to Fred), catching flies bare handed in the air, bowling, softball, motorcycling, playing cards, backgammon, cribbage, playing golf on the Nintendo, cracking jokes (he was great at that), and making people laugh.

He enjoyed spending time and talking sports, history and everyday events with his son. He loved to baby his little girl when she visited and enjoyed her babying him in return. He was the best stubbed toe fixer-upper. He was very proud of his children, for their achievements in life, that they are wonderful, responsible, thoughtful, loving and thought of them both as a reflection of himself; it made him feel he did a good job raising them and that they were a credit to the world we live in. He thought the world of both of them and loved them very much.

He had a fun and fulfilling life. Gary was humble, and always took responsibility for the choices he made in life, never placing blame on his rough childhood. He had nothing but respect and admiration for his parents and grandparents. He loved his brothers (& brother-in-laws), sister (& sister-in-laws), nieces and nephews (near & far). In fact, He liked just about everybody. He always made people feel welcome. He never placed himself above others. Whether you lived in the streets or in the highest of places, you were treated with the same respect. He didn’t judge people. As he always said, “you never know until you walked a mile in someone else’s shoes!”. He was an all-around likeable person who had the utmost respect from those that knew him. “Treat people as you would want to be treated—Character counts!” All those who knew him were privileged to call him a husband, father, father-in-law, grandpa, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, and friend. Gary will truly be missed!

Gary passed away at Downey Regional Hospital on February 9, 2011. He was preceded in death by his parents, & both brothers. Gary is survived by his wife, son, daughter, her spouse James Ray Langley, grandsons, sister, and many nieces and nephews. He was laid to rest February 15, 2011 at Harbor Lawn-Mt. Olive Memorial Park in Costa Mesa, CA.