D. Wallace Magee

On July 28, 2015, D. Wallace Magee passed away peacefully at Friendship Village of Dublin surrounded by his family. He was 92. Wally was born on July 31, 1922 in Lebanon, Ohio to the late Hugh and Pearl (Hill) Magee. His early childhood was spent in Waterford, New York, where his father served as a Methodist minister. Following his father's early death, his mother relocated the young family back to Lebanon. After graduating from Lebanon High School in 1940, Wally began his undergraduate studies at Ohio Wesleyan University, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He interrupted his education to enlist in the U.S. Navy during WWII. Wally graduated ninth in his class from the U.S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen's School at Columbia University and was assigned as a navigator aboard the destroyer USS Wilkes (DD-441). Following his service, he completed coursework toward his Bachelor of Science, enrolled at The Ohio State University, where he was a member of the honorary fraternity Phi Lambda Upsilon and, in 1955, earned his PhD in Physical Chemistry. During this period, he met the love of his life, Margaret Constance Harlor. Wally and Connie married in 1957, settled in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and together raised and inspired three kids-David, Maggie, and Carolyn-and tolerated a parade of pets. The family later moved to Scotia, NY, where the couple eventually retired and welcomed four grandkids. During a career spanning more than thirty years-most of that with General Electric-Wally worked as a research chemist for the Lighting Institute at Nela Park in Cleveland, Ohio and then as Manager of Environmental Quality Planning for the Turbine Division in Schenectady, NY. Wally's children sing the praises of a dad who imparted to them an appreciation for camping and the outdoors-especially America's national parks-along with a passion for reading, critical thinking, and life-long learning. His insatiable curiosity meant that he typically had several books going at once, and led his kids to expect that he would be the last one out of a museum at closing time. He taught his grandkids to play chess and could often be found tinkering under the hood of a car. He played golf and tennis, sang, and enjoyed listening to jazz, opera, and folk music, as well as winning at bridge with his forever partner, Connie. Wally is survived by his wife Connie Magee, their three children David J. Magee (wife Cheryl Roberto), D. Maggie Magee (husband Edd Franz), and Carolyn S. Magee, and four grandchildren Benjamin and Allison Magee and Megan and Lauren Franz. He was preceded in death by his parents Hugh and Pearl, brothers Hugh and Alex, sister Marjorie Cahill, and son-in-law Stephen Kerlinger. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial contribution to: National Park Foundation, http://www.nationalparks.org/. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to SCHOEDINGER NORTHWEST, 1740 Zollinger Avenue.