Albert Bailey WALLACE

1926 - 2016

WALLACE, Albert Bailey Albert Bailey Wallace died on Monday, February 29, 2016, at Piedmont Henry Hospital after a brief illness. He was born on November 4, 1926, to Stephen Bailey Wallace, a Griffin attorney, and Alberta Williamson Wallace. He graduated from Griffin High School in 1944 with honors and president of the senior class and a member of the 1942 State Championship football team. Mr. Wallace was a E-5 enlistee during World War II and then attended the University of Georgia where he was awarded BA and LLB degrees and began his lifelong devotion to the Georgia Bulldogs. At Georgia he was a member of Phi Delta Theta, social fraternity, Phi Delta Phi, legal fraternity, and a student editor of the Georgia Bar Journal. Mr. Wallace served as Congressional Aide to the late U.S. Rep. Sidney Camp during the Truman administration. In Washington he met his future wife, the former Betsy Thomas of Spartanburg, S.C. who predeceased him in 1984. Mr. Wallace enjoyed a long and storied carrier as a trial attorney. He and his brother, Howard, represented the City of Atlanta in its expansion of the Atlanta Airport in the 1960's. In addition, he served as the Clayton County District Attorney from 1960-1968 before devoting all of his time to private practice. Mr. Wallace was the recipient of the Liberty Bell Award from the Georgia State Bar 2001 for excellence in Bar leadership, as well as the Charles S. Pursley Award in 2009 for recognition of his outstanding contributions in the field of eminent domain, as well as other local awards. He led the charge in 2008, along will fellow Clayton County attorneys, George Glaze, George Brown, and the late Bob Oliver, to save the accreditation for the Clayton County School System with the firing of the entire school board. He was a prolific letter writer and a stellar and accomplished trial lawyer, where his quick whit and sense of humor were welcome respites in sometimes otherwise dull legal proceedings. Mr. Wallace was an avid golfer pursuing the ball all over the U.S., Ireland and Scotland. He was a member of the Atlanta Lawyers' Club and Gridiron. He served many years as Elder and Sunday School teacher of his beloved First Presbyterian Church where he critiqued hymn selection weekly. He is survived by daughter, Julie W. (Ed) O'Kelley, a son, Stephen B. Wallace, II, three granddaughters, Caroline E. O'Kelley, Hillary C. O'Kelley, and Merrie C. (Catie) Wallace , all of Jonesboro; a brother, Howard P. Wallace, of Griffin; nieces Elizabeth W. Fleming, of Kodiak, AK, Janice M. Wallace, of Griffin, Dr. Ann H. Wallace of Harrisonburg, VA; a nephew, Stephen W. Wallace, a great niece, Emily Wallace; a great nephew, Will Wallace, all of Griffin; and one very tired standard cassette dictation machine. Funeral Services will be held 11 AM, Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at First Presbyterian Church of Jonesboro with the body to lie in state from 10-11 AM before the service at the church. Burial to follow at Sherwood Memorial Park. Family will receive friends from 5-8 PM, Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Jonesboro, 1842 Lake Jodeco Road, Jonesboro, Georgia 30236. Ford-Stewart Funeral Home, Inc., Jonesboro/Stockbridge 770-210- 2700. www.fordstewartfuneralhome.com