Richard O. Wallace

1946 - 2021

Richard O. Wallace

Mountain Home - Richard Osmond Wallace, 74, of Mountain Home, Arkansas passed away Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at Hospice House following a brave and stoic battle with cancer.

Funeral services will be private but a memorial service for his loving family and many friends will be celebrated when the pandemic risk moderates.

Richard was born November 25, 1946 in Batesville, Arkansas to Forrest Lee Wallace and Edna Marie Whiteaker Wallace. He was named after his paternal grandfather and in memory of his uncle, an Army paratrooper who was KIA in 1941 at Corregidor during WWII. Richard grew up in Calico Rock, graduated from Calico Rock High School in 1964, then earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He married Donna Jane Killian of Calico Rock on December 6, 1968 forming a loving union lasting 52 years. The couple moved to Mountain Home in 1973 where he began a career at The Peoples Bank and Trust Company, later acquired by First Security Bank, managing buildings, grounds and equipment as Senior Vice President while serving many customers for 39 years until his retirement in 2012. Richard was widely recognized as a good man, soft-spoken, kind and considerate of others, well-liked and highly respected by his co-workers, church family, friends and people in the community. Richard and Donna are devout Christians and have always been active members of Fellowship Cumberland Presbyterian Church, where he served many years as an Elder while working on projects and expansions with the Building Committee. He was a life-long Arkansas Razorback fan and displayed a keen sense of humor along with an easy laugh. Richard stayed involved in the Challenged Athletes Booster Club for 25 years in support of his daughter; not only did he travel with the teams to various events but he also participated on the softball team to benefit these special athletes, who all knew and were fond of Richard. He was a Lions Club member for years, busy with auctions to raise money for those visually impaired.

Richard became a sometimes reluctant but creative carpenter/woodworker; he enjoyed canoe trips, fishing, cycling, softball, racquetball, and Mexican train dominoes. However, his favorite recreation was to travel when he, Donna and Dana pulled their fifth-wheel camper on extended vacations to enjoy many areas of this beautiful country.

Members of the Wallace, Killian, Irby and Whiteaker families looked forward to fun picnics which Richard and Donna hosted annually at their home, enabling everyone to stay in touch with each other. Richard was a steadfast and loving husband, father and son, devoted to Donna, David and Dana, and tender with his father and mother as advancing years and declining health overtook them.

Richard is survived by his beloved wife Donna; son, David Lee Wallace and wife Jeana; daughter, Dana Suzanne Wallace all of Mountain Home, a sister, Patricia Kay Wallace Irby and husband, Steve; niece, Stephanie Irby Randall and husband Larry of Fort Smith and niece, Amanda Irby Stevens and husband, Kurt of Greenbrier. His tight-knit extended family is Donna's brothers, Robert Killian of McAllen, Texas, David and Dotty Killian of Mountain Home, Darrell and Margaret Killian of Pineville and her sister Sue and Duane Price of Pineville and many treasured nieces and nephews.

Interment will be at the Pineville Cemetery under the direction of Conner Family Funeral Home & Cremation Center. Honorary pallbearers are Kurt Stevens, Larry Randall, Tim Killian, Bill Killian, Klay Killian, Jerry Skidmore, Tony Lamb, Luke Killian, Jerry Jones and Glenn Priebe.

In lieu of flowers, please make memorial gifts in Mr. Wallace's name to the Baxter County Day Service Center, 1631 Leo Davis Dr, Mountain Home, AR 72653 or to the Fellowship Cumberland Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 866, Mountain Home, AR 72653.

The online guestbook and obituary are available at

www.connerfamilyfuneralhome.com