George spent a free-wheeling, happy childhood in Sandy Springs, Georgia. He had a loving mom and dad, Annette Torrance (Parker) and George Johnson Wallace, Sr., and three beautiful sisters, Nancy (Lovell), Suzanne (Smith Hyer) and Nell (Wallace Willis).
But when he was 19, George was in a severe motorcycle wreck. He came flying over the handlebars of his bike and landed on his back. When he woke, he was paralyzed.
It was a long road back, but George had perseverance and character. He resolved not to let the new disability get him down, and he became a certified scuba diver and learned how to dance in a wheelchair.
When he was 28, George met Lee Tarte. The first time Lee saw George, he was dancing in his wheelchair. She thought to herself, There is a man of great character. After meeting Lee only once, George told a friend he would marry her. The friend scoffed, but just two years later, George and Lee married, on June 25, 1994. George’s and Lee’s marriage lasted 29 years, until George’s death.
George and Lee went on to have two children, Matthew Stephen and Anna Elizabeth. Matthew and Diana Coohill Wallace gave George two grandchildren, Starlight and Winter Wallace.
George’s later years were hard. A condition called a syringomyelia caused him to gradually lose the ability to use his arms and hands. Even so, one of the things he was proudest of was the fact that he never, ever gave up. As anyone who knew George realized, his faith in Jesus Christ was the backbone of who he was. He was an inspiration to many.
The family has set up a donation site with Joni & Friends for the Wheelchairs to the World program. While many might have seen George’s wheelchair as a prison, it was also a gift that allowed him access to the world. The Wheels to the World program provides wheelchairs to people in third world countries who would otherwise have no access to them. George and Lee have supported this program for many years, realizing how critical it is for people to be able to go to work, or school, or simply leave the house. Click here to go directly to the fundraiser page: https://secured.joniandfriends.org/fundraiser/5541745
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