Joseph Henry "Joe" Wally III

1941 - 2022

Joseph "Joe" Henry Wally III
November 16, 1941 - April 23, 2022
Dallas, Texas - Joe Wally (Joseph Henry Wally III) has crossed the ultimate finish line, going 80+. The fog in front of him had been getting ever denser over the years, but his rear view of the road already traveled was always clear and accurate. And what a road it was…
Joe's race through life started in Kansas City, as the eldest child of Jack (JHW Jr.) and Milly Wally. Within eleven months, he was joined by his brother John Wally, and seven years later, by their brother J. Chris Wally.
Joe's course led him to Kansas University, but he soon accelerated to Stanford where he majored in English. More importantly, he also met Liz Wally (née Stewart), whom he would eventually marry after a detour in the army as an intelligence officer. Joe and Liz garaged in Germany for a time, but Joe's fascination with business led him to Harvard Business School, where he got his MBA, along with his first child, Jody Wally (JHW IV). Swerving from Cambridge, the new parents found themselves in Liz's hometown of Dallas, TX, where Joe worked for Liz's father, Peter Stewart. They also found themselves with their second child, Catherine Elizabeth LaBelle (née Wally).
Swerving again, the family moved back to Kansas City, where Joe worked for his own father at the family business, Western Blueprint. This later transformed into Opti-Copy, where Joe became CEO and team owner for the first time, selling industrial cameras all over the world.
When Opti-Copy was sold in the mid-eighties, with his kids in college, Joe found himself in the fast lane. No longer married to Liz (though friends for life), Joe started and drove several companies in various industries while looking for his next co-pilot. That turned out to be Gail Wally (née Jensen), who had a daughter of her own, Heather. Now living in Mission Hills, KS, Joe collected classic cars, raced his Lolas, traveled extensively, and threw really great parties. Like, really great.
As it turned out, Heather's boyfriend, David Hanson, worked for a boxing equipment distributor that they both felt that could be run more effectively. So, Joe invested his time, money, and expertise in that business, Title Boxing, which they then launched from a rolling start and hasn't slowed down since.
Joe and Gail didn't stay married, but they did stay friends and Joe remained in K.C., helping with Title and enjoying his three grandchildren, JHW V and Alexandra (in Seattle with Jody and Anjanette Nelson-Wally) and Isabella (Bella) LaBelle (with Catherine in Dallas).
By 2016, Joe's chassis, suspension, and supercharged engine needed a break from the mean streets of K.C., so he opted for an extended pit stop in Dallas, TX. With Catherine as crew chief and his pit boss Sharon Chiesl, Joe merrily plotted to dominate the races of the world once more, but the miles had taken their toll. Joe's long, exciting race finally ended peacefully on April 23, 2022.