Wallace Bennett

1925-2010

Wallace Reed Bennett died without pain and with great dignity on Sunday, July 25, 2010, at his home in Salt Lake City, Utah. He died of aspiration pneumonia. As he took his last breath, his wife, children and grandchildren were at his bedside expressing their love to him and wishing him well on his next journey.

As the only child of Althea Rawlings and Reed Holman Bennett, Wallace was born

August 7, 1925 in Salt Lake City. He was reared by deeply caring parents and grandparents

(Belle “Sugie” Hocking Rawlings and Franklin “Fel” James Rawlings). “My Grandfather Fel

gave me a sense that I should consciously try to amount to something.”

Wally attended Longfellow Elementary and Bryant Junior High Schools where he formed lifelong friendships. At East High School he won The National Society of The Sons of The American Revolution oratorical contest. He joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1943 and served in the Pacific Theater as a Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After the war, Wallace joined the U.S. Army Reserve attaining the rank of Captain.

While a student at the University of Utah, Wallace won the Western States debate

championship with Mickey Duncan in 1947; was elected president of the senior class; and was

selected for honorary society memberships in Beehive, Phi Kappa Phi, Owl & Key, and Skull & Bones. Wallace graduated from the University with a B.A. in Banking and Finance and won the Wall Street Journal Award for the outstanding undergraduate from the College of Business.

Wallace earned a Masters Degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Utah.

He also received an LL.B./J.D. degree from the College of Law where he served as Editor-in-

Chief of the Utah Law Review and was Order of the Coif. The international Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity honored Wallace as the outstanding law graduate of the western states in 1953.

Immediately after graduating from the College of Law, Wallace was appointed an

Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Utah. He taught law for some 40 years. Wallace was appointed the Associate Dean in 1960 and an Emeritus Professor in 1986. As a law professor, he primarily focused on teaching securities, corporate, and contract law. Enthusiastic and caring as a mentor and academic, he genuinely loved his students with whom he shared his deep passion for the law.

Over several summers and sabbatical leaves, Wallace earned advanced Master of Law (LL.M.) degrees from Harvard University (securities) and New York University (trade regulation).

In 1963, Wallace drafted the Securities Act for the State of Utah. He was appointed Commissioner of Uniform State Laws for the State of Utah and drafted Utah’s Uniform Consumer Credit Code (1968) which was the first model “U3C” legislation enacted in the country. For many years he was asked to serve as an arbitrator judge to resolve numerous labor and other disputes in Utah, Nevada, Idaho, and Colorado. He was a founding Master of the Utah Bench of the American Inns of Court. Wallace was an avid Democrat.

He was involved in numerous businesses including serving as a Coordinator for the

Foreign Study League and as Chairman of the JoLene Company. In 1995, the Emeritus Alumni Association presented Wallace a Merit of Honor Award.

On September 9, 1952, Wallace and Evalyn Darger were married in the Salt Lake Temple. Wallace and Evalyn raised five children: Frank, David, Marion, Susan, and Jim.

Wallace’s family was his first priority; every summer he arranged special vacations – from short jaunts to Park City to trips across the globe.

Wallace was preceded in death by his parents. He leaves behind his wife Evalyn and children Franklin Reed Bennett, David Darger Bennett, Marion Bennett Mahas and husband Steven Michael Mahas, Susan Bennett Nichols and husband Lynn Cannon Nichols, and James Wallace Bennett and wife Sara Liu Bennett.

His 15 beloved grandchildren are already feeling a void from the loss of their supportive Grandpa Wally. They include Claire Whiteley Bennett, Carson Whiteley Bennett, Alexander Whiteley Bennett, Amanda Whiteley Bennett, Megan Mahas Fan married to Sammy Fan, Michael Steven Mahas married to Nichole Buck Mahas, Anna Darger Mahas, Adam Williams Mahas, Jessie Bennett Mahas, Natalie Evalyn Nichols, Jennifer Bennett Nichols, Stephanie Elizabeth Elaine Nichols, Madeline Liu Bennett, Audrey Eva Bennett, and Mia Liu Bennett.

A memorial service for Wallace will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 7, 2010,

celebrating his 85th birthday at the University of Utah in the David Gardner [Music] Hall (west of Kingsbury Hall). The Music Hall is located at 1375 East on Presidents Circle (180 South) just east of University Street (1340 East). Friends may meet with the family from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. at the Hall prior to the memorial.

The night before, Friday, August 6th, the family will also meet friends at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Mortuary, 3401 Highland Drive, from 6 to 8 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in honor of Wallace R. Bennett may be sent to the College of Law at the University of Utah.