Jack Louis Wallo Sr.

Jack was born in Escanaba, MI, to Frank and Mildred Wallo (nee Saxon). When Jack was age 2, and his brother, Robert, was age 7, they were taken in to be raised by their maternal grandparents, John and Annie Saxon.

They lived in a large chicken coop that their grandfather had repurposed into a home. Initially, there was no electricity, water had to be pumped from a well, and lighting was from kerosene lanterns. Jack’s grandmother had gone blind from diabetes complications, and he recalled that she would wave her hands around until she found their wood burning cooking stove, and then would use a wooden kitchen match to light it. Somehow, she made edible food.

They had a vegetable garden and raised chickens to survive. At the age of 12, he was hired by a nearby dairy farm to deliver milk, so he quickly learned how to drive the dairy’s truck. When his grandfather took him downtown to the sheriff’s office to obtain his drivers’ license when he turned 16, the sheriff sat back in his chair and stated that he had observed Jack’s driving for a number of years now, and it wasn’t necessary to take a driving test, so he received his drivers’ license on the spot.

Jack was an avid reader and was a very good student, but he dropped out of high school and left Michigan at the age of 17 for a promised opportunity from his uncle to get him into Local 118 Painters Union in Louisville.

He worked as a painter from the age of 17 until his retirement on his 62nd birthday. He was very detail oriented, and his expertise was in painting trim. His claim to fame was having his picture published in the Courier-Journal of him painting one of the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs in the late 1970’s.

Jack met his wife, Martha (nee Vardeman), in Louisville in 1955, and they married on September 29, 1956. Within a few months after their marriage, two things occurred: Jack was drafted into the Army, and they discovered that Martha was expecting their first child, Joni.

The Army informed him that he had to obtain his GED, which he accomplished very quickly. After completing bootcamp at Ft. Knox, he was sent to Korea in early 1957 and was assigned to a tank battalion. Jack wrote letters to his new bride frequently and sent pictures of himself on the job. He returned to the States in September, 1958, just before Joni’s 1st birthday, and was honorably discharged from the Army. He then resumed his painting career.

Their children, Jack, Jr. and Janet were born in 1961 and 1964, and the couple thought that their family was complete. However, they got a surprise when “the rabbit died” and Martha delivered their last child, Joe, in 1970.

In his younger years, Jack loved to drink beer and play Pinochle with family and friends, while listening to country music. Frequently, Jack and Martha would take their children to friends Ray and Opal’s home for a long night of laughing, drinking, and playing cards.

Jack always had a soft spot for older men, probably due to being raised by his grandfather, and he took care of Mr. Skaggs for a number of years until Mr. Skaggs passed away.

He loved to go to Churchill Downs and “bet on the ponies”. He taught Jack, Jr. his methods of betting, and was fortunate to be able to spend a wonderful day at the track with three of his children and two of his grandchildren for Father’s Day, 2025.

He was part of the Greatest Generation; frugal, stoic, and accepting of whatever Life brought his way. In 2022, he had to have two different lower leg amputations due to an infection. He received rehabilitation at Sanders Ridge Nursing Home after being fitted for a prosthetic leg. He was then transferred to Green Meadows Nursing Home in March 2023, where he resided until his passing. The Wallo Family is very grateful to all of the employees at Green Meadows for the loving care he was provided while he was a resident for almost 3 years.

Jack was preceded in death by his loving wife of 33 years, Martha, brothers, Robert and Jim, and sisters, Jeanette and Dolly.

Left to cherish his memory are his children: Joni Cox (Dave), Jack Wallo, Jr. (Donna), Janet Severance, and Joseph Wallo; seven grandchildren, Brandon James (Tierra), Christopher James (Chastity), Ashley Wallo, Jacki Wallo, Amanda Chuckran (Zach), Korē Severance, and Gabriel Severance; 9 great-grandchildren, Haylee James, Michael James, Emily James, Madison James, Bradley James, Avery Wallo, Nathan James, Carter Chuckran, and Lizzie Chuckran.

Visitation will be held at Evergreen Funeral Home, 4623 Preston Hwy, Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday, January 10, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. with a funeral service to follow at 3:00 p.m. in their on-site chapel. Cremation was chosen.