Dr. James S. “Jimmy” Wall, Jr., 89, passed away Tuesday, August 1, 2023. Dr. Wall was born in Huntsville to James and Myrtle Kendrick Wall. He graduated from Huntsville High School and the University of Alabama. He earned his DDS degree from the University of Alabama Birmingham where he taught at the dental school for many years.
He met Joanne Hunt on a blind date while they were both students at Alabama. They married in 1955. Following graduation from UAB, they moved to Huntsville for him to open his dental practice, which he continued until he was 80 years old.
A staunch believer in giving back to the community, Dr. Wall was instrumental in opening the Community Free Dental Clinic, where he donated his services even after retirement. He served six terms as a Huntsville City Councilman and was a board member for The Huntsville Utilities Gas and Water Board during the time-period of 1995-2019. He lent his talents to the Navy and Marine Corp Reserve Center Bessemer from 2006 until 2010, performing dental exams on sailors and marines in preparation for readiness training or deployment.
Dr. Wall was an active member of First Baptist Church, serving as a deacon and offering free dental services while traveling to China, Russia, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica on church mission trips. He loved spending time with his family, especially at the lake and at Alabama football games. He was one of the first season ticket subscribers and never missed a home game. One of his greatest personal accomplishments was hiking the entire Appalachian Trail from beginning to end. He loved water and snow skiing as well as white water canoeing. After retirement, Dr. Wall was an avid pickleball player.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Stephen Hunt Wall and his sister, Margaret Wall Cummings. Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Joanne Wall; daughter, Melinda Lawson (Gary); son, James S. Wall, III; grandchildren, Kimberly Graham (Caleb), Sara Beth Cornelius (Hunter), and Michael Wall (Windsor); and great-grandchildren, Grey Graham, Guy Graham, and Camille Cornelius.
Visitation will be Friday, August 4, 2023 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. A graveside service will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, August 5, 2023 in Maple Hill Cemetery with Dr. Travis Collins officiating. We would love for you to share your memories of Dr. Wall.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Huntsville – Madison County Library Foundation, P.O. Box 443, Huntsville, AL 35804 (www.hmcpl.org).
