Evangelist Florence Lee Wallace

Evangelist Florence Lee Wallace (nee Taylor) was born March 31, 1922, in Zion, Illinois to the union of Marcellus and Florence America Taylor. She peacefully departed this earthly life on November 4, 2024 at her home where she resided for more than six decades. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Ernest Trudo (1970), King Reynolds (1997) and Woodrow Wallace (2008); siblings Steven Taylor, Esther Sloan, Henry Taylor, Emily Barnes and Josephine Florence; nieces Florence Metcalf and Florence Sloan; nephews Nathaniel H. Richards, Louis P. Richards and Richard Florence; and stepson Reverend Lawrence Trudo.

Evangelist Wallace accepted Christ at an early age and faithfully served Him until she was no longer able. Even then, she would worship freely in her home to Christian radio often waving both hands in the air as if directing the choir. She was one of the founding members of the Brotherly Love Missionary Baptist Church in 1950 under Reverend and Sister John W. Donahue.

Sometime later, she became a member of Holy Trinity Church of God in Christ, Star of David under its founding Pastor, the late Kattie B. Johnson. She was ordained by Reverend Johnson on August 7, 1981, and would unashamedly share the gospel of Jesus Christ. On March 10, 1987, Pastor Johnson appointed Evangelist Wallace Supervisor of the church. She was a teacher in both adult Sunday School class and the weekly Bible Study Hour. She also served as the Director of Vacation Bible School.

In 2001, Evangelist Wallace returned to Brotherly Love M.B. Church. There, On April 1, 2007, she was licensed by Reverend David Pope to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She was a faithful member of Brotherly Love actively serving there with her second husband, King Reynolds, and after his death, her third husband, Woodrow Wallace. Reading the Bible and attending church was very important to her.

Evangelist Wallace was a graduate of Waukegan Township High School. Post high school, she took secretarial training.

Evangelist Wallace worked for the U.S. Department of Justice for 30 years and retired September 1981. The last 11 years were spent as a Legal Stenographer during James Thompson’s tenancy as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. After retirement, she worked for 14 years at Operation Brotherhood as secretary and Bible teacher. She was honored with many achievement awards from both organizations. She also served as a private secretary to Senator Carol Moseley Braun.

Evangelist Wallace leaves to cherish her memory of her stepdaughter, Delores Inman of Chicago, Illinois; nieces and nephews: Catherine McIntosh of Chicago, Illinois; Elaine Hill of Detroit Michigan; Marilyn (Steven) Wikner of Kenosha, Wisconsin; Offie Barnes, Jr. of Atlanta Georgia; Pamela Ritter of DuQuoin, Illinois; Cheryl Turner of North Chicago, Illinois; Darlene (Donald) Smith of North Chicago, Illinois; Tracy Taylor of Indianapolis, Indiana; Michelle Grant of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Vivian Florence of Kenosha, Wisconsin; Nathaniel Sloan of Waukegan, Illinois; godson, Jermaine Williams of Mansfield, Texas; and a host of family and friends.

A visitation and funeral for Florence will be held on Friday, November 22, 2024 visitation 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home, 4727 West 103rd Street, Oak Lawn, IL 60453 followed by the funeral service at 11:00 AM. Interment at Evergreen Cemetery, 3401 West 87th Street, Evergreen Park, IL 60805.