Bessie May Wallace, 90, of Carden Road, Clinton, died Sunday morning at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge.

Mrs. Wallace was born April 2, 1902, in Moselle, MS, to the late William Jessie and Caroline (Carrie) Keck Hargis. The family moved to Cleveland shortly after her birth.

In 1925, after graduating from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, she came to Clinton to teach home economics at Clinton High School. She met Homer H., Wallace of Clinton and on June 3, 1927, they were married at her parents’ home in Cleveland. She left teaching at this time and after rearing her family returned to CHS in 1947 as a librarian and English teacher. That fall she moved to Clinton Grammar School where she taught sixth grade until 1955. At this time she began teaching at Sulphur Springs Elementary School which later became Dutch Valley Elementary. She taught there 12 years until her retirement in 1967 at the age of 65.

Mrs. Wallace, a member of First Baptist Church in Clinton, taught Sunday school until 1985. She was an honorary member of Delta Beta Chapter if Beta Sigma Phi, a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority and the Anderson County Retired Teacher’s Association. While teaching she was active in the Parent Teachers Association and served as president of the Clinton unit twice and of the Anderson County Council in 1951. She became a Life Member in 1956. She was named Teacher of the Year in 1962 at Dutch Valley school.

A son, Homer Houston Wallace Jr., died Jan. 24, 1947.

Survivors include her husband, Homer H. Wallace Sr., daughters, Mrs. George (Clara) McClure of Carbondale, IL, Mrs. Dorothy Howell and an especially loved son-in-law, Bill Howell, of Clinton; a son and daughter-in-law, Dr. William J. Wallace and Dr. Julia Wallace of New Concord, OH; grandchildren, Wendy McClure of Seattle, WA; Laura McClure of Brooklyn, NY; Dr. Nora Wallace and Lisa Wallace, both of Columbus, OH; several nieces and nephews.

Services were held Tuesday at First Baptist Church of Clinton with the Rev. Samuel Dean officiating. Burial was at Sunset Cemetery. Holley-Gamble Funereal Home was in charge of arrangements.

Source:
Clinton Courier News
27 Jan 1993