“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.”
Proverbs 31:10-13 (KJV)
Virginia L. Wallace was born May 28, 1927 in Madison County, Alabama to the late Garth Lee and Lula Fowlkes Lee. She was the youngest of six children born to this union. Virginia received her formal education in Madison County, Alabama.
On June 3, 1945 Virginia Lee was united in holy matrimony to Willie Wallace in Madison, AL. This union was blessed with five sons and one daughter.
In 1948, Virginia joined her husband Willie in search of better opportunities for their family and migrated along with their young son Willie Lewis to the Midwest settling in Chicago, Illinois. As new Chicagoans, they worked together in service to others, helping to mentor and shepherd the children of their Woodland Park community.
Virginia and Willie saw a need in their community for a church and sought to fill it when they joined with others in the neighborhood to establish the Woodland Park Missionary Baptist Church. They both served diligently to build the church and bring children and adult congregants to God. They were later ordained as Mother and Deacon of the church.
Mother Wallace was an anointed caregiver. Her loving, humble and nurturing demeanor touched the lives of many. She cared for and raised her six children; helped care for and rear many of her grandchildren and welcomed many neighborhood children into her home whom she also fed and nurtured. She was especially fond of children and made them feel loved and special. Mother Wallace also found time to care for elderly members of her family and community. She cherished her relationship with many through her familial ties that included her church family. Mother Wallace exemplified unconditional love. Her smile filled you with joy, her words uplifted, her hugs soothed, and her touches healed. She was virtuous, loyal, committed, faithful, determined, tenacious, strong, and humble. These were just a few of her many attributes. She lived her life for her family, and she was graciously proud to do so.
Longing for their familial roots, the family moved back to Madison County in 1966 to their newly built family home at the foot of Capshaw Mountain on Nick Davis Road. Mother Wallace managed the family home and children for a year until her husband Willie, who remained behind in Chicago to work and support his family, could find work in Alabama. Their vision was to return to farming, which they did – gradually growing cotton, corn and raising livestock. Mother Wallace produced a flourishing garden where she grew a variety of fruits and vegetables, joyfully sharing her successful crops with the community; exemplifying the scripture Proverbs 31:16 (AMP) “She considers a field before she buys or accepts it [expanding her business prudently]; with her profits she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard.
The Wallace family joined the Pine Grove Missionary Baptist Church in August 1967 under the Pastorship of the Late Reverend Dave M. McGlathery. At Pine Grove, Mother and Deacon Wallace continued their love of service to the Lord, serving in various roles in the church. Alongside Deacon Wallace, Mother Wallace participated in the Senior Choir, the Ushers Ministry and the Culinary Ministry. She was also very active on the Mothers Board.
Supporting her husband, Mother Wallace was very active in the community. She served as a volunteer with the Harvest Volunteer Fire Department and attended monthly meetings of the Monrovia Parks and Recreation Board and meetings of the former community activist group called IMPACT, where Deacon Wallace served as a founding member.
The funeral service for Mother Virginia Lee Wallace will be 1:00 p.m., Sunday, February 11, 2024, at the Pine Grove Missionary Baptist Church (759 Pine Grove Road, Harvest, AL, 35749) with Dr. C. Jermaine Turner officiating. Interment will be in the Pine Grove Memorial Gardens. Mother Wallace will lie in repose one hour prior to funeral time.
The Wallace family will receive guests from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., Sunday, February 11, 2024, at the Pine Grove Missionary Baptist Church.
Public viewing will be held from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., Saturday, February 10, 2024, and 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., Sunday, February 11, 2024, at the Royal Funeral Home.
