Wallace Eldred Case

Wallace Eldred Case was born 15 August 1932 in Turtle Lake Township Minnesota. He was the 5th of nine children born to Paul Manning Case and Audrey Naomi Emery.

He was born in the early years of the depression and I have been told it was very hard, but the case family was resourceful. They made it through those years just as many did, and it left indelible lessons on their hearts and minds that they carried throughout their lives.

Fun times were had in his growing up years too and he often told stories of swimming at the lake with the horses, riding horses to town with one of his brothers climbing to the top of Jack Pines and rocking them back and forth until one broke. The family worked hard on the homestead and they played hard too. Fishing was play but it was more importantly a way to bring a meal home for the large family, and dad was a great fisherman.

The Case family was very musical and most could play an instrument and sing. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall on a night when they were to gather to hear them. Wally’s instrument for all of his life was the guitar. At 9 years old he took his guitar to school and played a song to his classmates. Through his life his musical ability shown and he could often be found with a guitar in his hand. He put that talent in 1954 when a beautiful young Betty Wise was at her new job at the sanatorium and noticed a tall handsome young man, sitting casually on the hood of his car strumming away on a guitar. Sparks flew and Betty and Wally started dating. Mom says that “wally came into my life because God knew I needed Wally’s music in my life”. So Wallace Eldred Case was married to Betty Catherine Wise on September 25th 1954 in Woodburn Oregon. To this union were born Kathy Jane, Lori Kay, Pamela Carol, Wallace Martin and Matthew Darwin.

Wally was a hard worker and was strong and intelligent. He was one of those men who could fix anything and often did. He had a fun sense of humor and kept us laughing at his antics as he chased us through the house amid squeals and giggles. He was the entertainer at any family get together providing guitar music for family sing along’s and we loved it when mom and dad would sing together providing sweet music with close harmony. He was a dear friend to his children, but tough and stubborn. He had a very strong work ethic and he taught his children to work hard, even if it was something you didn’t life, do your best, do it right the first time.

Dad was an avid gardener and spent many hours each year planning his garden, purchasing the correct seeds. He had a map in his mind of where each plant would be placed, fertilized and watered to grow on to produce a veggie crop to put away for winter, or share with family and friends.

Dad worked for Birds Eye a General Foods as their purchasing and planning manager for the Woodburn plant, buying everything to a fleet of cars to paper clips. He provided will for our family and we are forever grateful for his sacrifice.

It was a very happy day when around 1980’s he retired and the very next day started a new job as a full time Nursery man an in a business that he and mom had already started. Dad, Mom and Marty would work “Case Nursery” together fun many years until dad decided to retire again and sold Marty Case nursery which he still owns.

So Having “Retired” from his second business her got very bored and decided to start grafting business. He worked at this for a while and Pam came to work alongside. Well he was good at so many things but retirement was not one of them, so around 2004 he tried again and Pam took over the grafting business.

Dad took to the idea of Journey the old time fiddlers and taught himself to play and he also accomplished others with the guitar. Mom and Dad had some good times playing and singing, going to jams and making new friends. Dad met another fiddler who was making fiddles and he decide to start making fiddles!! He has made over 200 of them, sold come, gave some away. Each person in the family who showed any interest in watching was given one of Grandpas homemade fiddles; keeping that family music going!

There are so many more stories and talents my dad had we would be here for half the day. He taught us so many things. But the one thing we knew at the end of the day whether things went great or whether things went sour is that our dad loved us and he loved out mom.

Dad passed away December 16th. We had just gotten him back home the 15th and got him tucked in his bed. He got lots of hugs and kisses and we told him we loved him and he was the best dad.

Late that night we were called to his side, mom held his hand and he had gone home to the lord. I know he was greeted by all those Case and Emery’s too and I’m sure there was a Case sing along.

Dad was preceded in death by his mom and dad his sisters Pauline and Winnie Lee, Brothers Bud, Vernie and Wesley. Grandson Nathan.

Thank you for your love, prayers, notes and kindness. We appreciate it so much, we love you dad. Until we meet again.