Reuben Henry Wallace

1922 - 2013

Reuben Henry Wallace Reuben Henry Wallace, age 91, died Monday, September 16, 2013. Reuben was born in Coolidge, Texas on September 13, 1922. He grew up working in his father's telephone company which serviced the area around Mexia, Texas. During World War II he was a technician on sonar projects at the Harvard Underwater Sound Laboratory. In 1945 he entered the Navy after volunteering to operate an experimental sonar onboard a submarine that was going into the Sea of Japan. That trip never took place due to the end of the war. Reuben then enlisted in the Army and served in the occupation force in Japan. After his military service he moved to Austin where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from the University of Texas in June, 1951. He remained a resident of Austin for the rest of his life. As an undergraduate student he worked part-time at the Defense Research Laboratory (now the Applied Research Laboratories) of the University of Texas and continued working there full-time after graduation. He retired in 1985 as the Associate Director for Research but continued at ARL on a part-time basis for twenty more years. Reuben was a member of Sigma Xi and a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America. He was a member of the Technical Cooperation Panel, a multinational Navy research group, and a senior member of the Mobile Sonar Technology Committee for the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). Reuben met Nannie Sue Still at her sixth birthday party in 1930. After many years of friendship they were married on March 23, 1951. Reuben and Sue spent many wonderful years together until her death in September, 1994. They raised three sons with whom they shared their love of travel and sporting events. Reuben and Sue moved into Westminster Manor in April, 1990 and lived there the rest of their lives. Reuben was a baritone in the Westminster Manor choir for about twenty years. Reuben was a long-time member of University United Methodist Church and a past president of the Hickman Men's Sunday School Class. Reuben is survived by his sons Lee, Don and Rick; daughters-in-law Deb, Susan and Renee; five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Meals on Wheels. The family will receive visitors at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 N. Lamar, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 19. A memorial service celebrating Reuben's life will be held at University United Methodist Church at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, September 20. Parking is available in the Platinum Parking Lot at 25th and Guadalupe. Obituary and memorial guestbook available online at www.wcfish.com