LLOYD WALLACE, REV. Obituary: Terrebonne Parish, La. Submitted by: Louis Lavedan Source: Houma Courier, Houma, Terrebonne Parish, La. 25 Jan 2005 ================================================== ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** ================================================== NOTES: 1. The date preceding the obituary is the date of posting on the WWW, not the date of death. ============================= January 18. 2005 12:00AM The Rev. Lloyd Wallace, Lafourche community leader, dies at age 83 By LIZ HACKENBYRG NYT Regional Newspapers THIBODAUX -- The Rev. Lloyd H. Wallace, pastor emeritus of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Thibodaux, was a local legend in Lafourche Parish, filling so many roles in the community that even friends and family members struggled to pinpoint how he had affected and inspired their lives. The 83-year-old Thibodaux native died Friday evening from complications associated with emphysema and congestive heart failure, said his daughters Beatrice Wallace and Jacqueline Malcolm. "My father was loving. He loved people," said Jacqueline. "He was one to exemplify his God and he took care of his family. He was one to fight for his country and he fought for his people." Wallace had a hand in founding the Lafourche Parish chapter of the NAACP, was one of the first black voters in the parish and played an instrumental role in organizing the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday celebrations in Lafourche. "He was a civil-rights activist. He believed in equality for all people," said Burnell Tolbert, vice president of the Lafourche chapter of the NAACP. Tolbert said she knew Wallace for years and considered him a father figure and mentor. Philip Malcolm Jr., Wallace's son-in-law, admired his unwavering stance on equality. "To me, he was the Thibodaux Martin Luther King ... He would say ėGod didn't make no junk. You're white, you're black, everybody is important to God.' " Wallace started on his long list of achievements early in life, said his daughters. There were no black high schools in Thibodaux in the 1930s and '40s, so Wallace enrolled in Leland College in Baker. The boarding school offered a high-school and college education, and Wallace, who majored in math, science and physics, graduated in 1941. He spent one year teaching in Thibodaux at the Colored Corporation School before he joined the U.S. Army for the duration of World War II. He became a staff sergeant, serving in England, France, Belgium and Germany, and earning a Bronze Star Medal of Valor. Following the war, Wallace returned to Thibodaux and married the former Bernice Pradd of Shreveport in 1944. The pair had three children, nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren during their 60 years together. "He made our lives very good, very safe and secure. He spoiled everybody. He gave everybody the things he thought they needed from him," said Beatrice. There was nothing we couldn't do, he was our cheerleader in everything. He was our biggest fan." That "staunch optimism" and keen ambition led Wallace to further education at the University of Southern California, Nicholls State University, Southeastern State University and the Ministerial Seminary in Houma. "He believed that everybody could be educated. There was no such thing as a dummy," said Beatrice. Wallace used his education for the good of everyone around him, his family said. Locally, he served as co-director of the Lafourche Parish Head Start summer program, was principal of the Kent Hadley Elementary and Junior High School in Raceland for 23 years, became executive director of the Lafourche Community Action Agency and was chair, from 1992 until his death, of the Lafourche Community Housing and Economic Development Organization. Additionally, Wallace pastored Mt. Zion Baptist Church for 16 years before becoming pastor emeritus in 1997. Rev. Lionel Griffin, the current pastor of Mt. Zion, assumed Wallace's post after he retired. "He affected the lives of many people in the city, and he was all about good. He loved everybody, he would always uplift people," said Griffin. Rev. Louis Clark, pastor of Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Gray, St. John Baptist Church in Berwick and St. John Baptist Church in Napoleonville, worked with Wallace for 25 years in various ways, including with the Lafourche Community Housing and Economic Development Organization. But Clark's relationship with Wallace extended back to the 1960s when the two sang in Thibodaux's first male community chorus. "Really I don't think the community will understand what we lost in Wallace," said Clark. "There were many things that he did that weren't publicized because he wasn't looking for a trophy, he was looking for the good of humanity. "Wallace had been a great force. We more or less pioneered the cause of civil rights, and he led the fight to integrate Nicholls University." Clark addded that Wallace's concern for the spiritual welfare of others led him to help institute citywide revivals during the mid-1970s. "There are only a few friends that you make in a lifetime; he definitely was a friend. He was a great individual," Clark said. Nicholls spokesman Michael Delaune said, "He was an important educator and played a significant role racially integrating Nicholls some 40 years ago. His commitment to equality has left a great legacy for us all." January 20. 2005 12:00AM The Rev. Lloyd Wallace [Photo] The Rev. Lloyd H. Wallace, 83, a native and resident of Thibodaux, died Friday, Jan. 14, 2005. Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday and from 8 a.m. to funeral time Saturday at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Thibodaux. Wake service will be at 8 p.m. Friday at the church. Religious service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the church, with burial in Moses Baptist Church Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Bernice Pradd Wallace of Thibodaux; two daughters, Jacqueline W. Malcolm and Beatrice L. Wallace of Thibodaux; one son, Lloyd H. Wallace Jr. of Mission Hills, Calif.; one son-in-law, Philip N. Malcolm Jr. of Thibodaux; one daughter-in-law, Lonnie Dixon Wallace of Mission Hills; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, the Rev. Charles W. and Leona Ricks Wallace; and one sister, Anita Wallace. He was Pastor Emeritus of Mt. Zion Baptist Church and was retired after serving 40 years as an educator for the Lafourche Parish School System. He was a World War II Army veteran and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal of Valor during his tour. He was parliamentarian, 5th District Baptist Association, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, American Association of Retired Person, Past Commander of American Legion Post No. 513, a member of Association for Supervision and Curriculum, Area Coordinator, Common Cause. He was a board member of Habitat for Humanity, founder and board member of Kiddie Kare Day Care Center; founder and past treasurer Lafeda Federal Credit Union; founder and past chair, Lafourche Black Caucus and past executive director and past board member of Lafourche Community Action Agency. He was board chair and charter member of Lafourche Community Housing and Economic Development Organization, board member of Lafourche First, past president of Lafourche Parish Education Association, past president of Leland College Alumni Federation, past 2nd vice president of Louisiana Education Association and a member of Louisiana Retired Teachers Association. He was a member of Louisiana State Baptist Convention, past chapter president, executive committee member and life member of NAACP. A member of National Baptist Convention U.S.A. Inc., past member of National Education Association, a member of National Retired Teachers Association, St. Joseph Lodge No. 15 Free and Accepted Masons, Norman Jones Consistory No. 338 and 33 degree Mason, past chair of Thibodaux Area Voter League and a member of BISCO.