Memories of Col. Jack Wallace

by Jeani Richie, ATM-Silver, CL, and Charter Member

Our founder and mentor Col. Jack D. Wallace was a dedicated man, communicator, father, husband, community activist, soldier and friend.  I met Jack when I first moved to Canyon Lake in 1992.  He and his lovely wife, Phyllis, were fixtures at all things Canyon Lake and always had a kind word and smile to offer their neighbors.  Jack began his support and mentorship of me in 1995 when I was awarded the title of Mrs. Canyon Lake International and was fundraising to compete in the Mrs. Texas pageant.  Jack and Phyllis were the first to step up to the plate and offer financial support for my endeavor.

Jack was a longtime Toastmaster and had wanted to charter a club at Canyon Lake for years.  The year after I did the Mrs. Texas Pageant and spent that year making appearances and speaking all over the state, Jack turned up the heat on trying to charter the Canyon Lake Toastmasters Club.  In July, 1997, we had our first meeting at the Lodge at Turkey Cove in Canyon Lake.  We quickly acquired the required 20 members to charter and in October 1997 we became an official Toastmasters Club.

Over the next three years Jack pushed each and everyone of the members, but me in particular.  He saw something in my speaking that was a natural talent and he always pushed me harder than anyone in the club to give my best performance.  He always had a challenge in every evaluation and even evaluated my speeches when he wasn't assigned as my evaluator.  At first I thought he was disappointed in my speaking skills, but I eventually learned that he wanted my best performance every time I spoke.  He pushed me for excellence.  His persistence paid off in 1988 when I went all the way to district level in the Humorous Speech Division and Jack and Phyllis drove to Corpus Christi to see me compete.  I was never so proud to be a Toastmaster as the day I looked out over the crowd of 250 Toastmasters and guests and saw Jack smiling back at me.

Jack became ill with cancer and slowly began to back off on his involvement in the Club.  He came to every meeting and contest that he could physically make and always supported the members.  One of my comforts was being able to pick up the phone and talk to Jack, not always about Toastmasters business, sometimes just personal things.  I received the call that Jack had come home for the last time, it would only be days before the end.  I spoke to him on the phone but did not go to his house.  I wanted to remember Col. Wallace, barking Toastmaster advice to me and smiling that devilish grin while telling me to "talk to the back row of the room", not the shell of the man that he had become.  Jack went quietly and the word spread quickly of his passing.

His funeral was amazing.  Toastmasters from all over the state attended, county, state and military dignitaries came as well and the room was full out into the lobby with friends, family, and neighbors.  At one point in the service, they asked people to come forward and say a word about Jack.  I had written my speech months before Jack's passing, as I knew I owed it to Jack to honor him to this group.  I stood and walked forward and delivered my personal eulogy to my friend and mentor.  It was a touching day that was only topped by the day we had the dedication service to rename our club The Col. jack D. Wallace Toastmasters Club in Jack's honor.  His wife, children, and grandchildren were in attendance and each Toastmaster got up and told a little something about jack that was special to them.  We also gave a framed charter to the family.

Jack has been gone for some time now, but his spirit lives on in this club.  His spirit lives on in the fellow Toastmasters that he has touched, myself included.  Jack was a man who embraced growth, change and challenge and I am certain that he is watching over our club from up above taking pride in the changes we have made, the challenges we have overcome and the growth we have experienced.