Buddy Wallin

1931 - 2021

Buddy Wallin
March 31, 1931 - December 22, 2021
Madison Township, Ohio - Buddy M. Wallin of Madison Township in Butler County, Ohio passed away on Dec. 22, 2021. He was born in Lexington, Kentucky in 1931, was educated in Lexington and Fayette County schools, graduating from Lafayette High School in 1950. He played four sports, at Lafayette concentrating on football. He received honorable mention from the Courier Journal to the All-Kentucky High Football Squad of 1948. In 1949, he was the first Lafayette football player to receive First Team Guard for the All-State Award by the Courier Journal All-Kentucky High School electorate. He was named to the Associated Press Second Team and All-Southern Honorable Mention. He was selected to the Kentucky East-West All-Star Football Team in 1950. Buddy accepted a football scholarship to Eastern Kentucky University beginning in the fall of 1950. In January, he joined the U.S. Air Force, served in the Korean Conflict, mainly in Tokyo, Japan, achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was a draftsman working in statistical presentation. He was approved by the Far East Air Forces Special Services Organization to perform special services for the base teams. He obtained an international license to referee basketball and umpire baseball. He returned to Eastern in the spring of 1955, played a total of four years of football at Eastern and completed his education, receiving a B.S. Degree in 1958. He met Athalene Cornett at Eastern in 1955 and they married on Dec. 22, 1956. He accepted a teaching position in an elementary school in Hamilton, Ohio to teach Health and Physical Education. In 1962, he accepted a position at Fairfield, Ohio City Schools to teach Health and Physical Education and coach the Freshman Football team. Two years later, he headed the Varsity Football team as defensive coordinator for three years. He coached several other sports, over the years, received a M.A. Degree from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1972, and maintained his own personal fitness. Buddy retired from teaching in 1982. Buddy and his wife were co-owners of Pumpkin Vine Line antiques business that began in Hamilton, Ohio in 1976 and a short time later moved to Fairfield. They maintained an open shop and displayed their country furniture and accessories at antiques shows in several states for 30 years. The business name was derived from the circa 1890 C.H. & D. train line, which consisted of a small passenger train (an engine and two cars) that carried workers to the various industries on the line that ran from Cincinnati to Hamilton to Dayton. Their logo was a small train chugging along looking for antiques. Their motto was "We Buy What We Like For You". They kept in touch with customers through sending individual letters before each show to inform them of their merchandise. They also advertised in the Maine Digest and the Antique Review. The customers liked their room setting displays that showed where to place the antiques. Even if the customers didn't remember their names, they knew Pumpkin Vine. Buddy's favorite antique show was the Heart of Country at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN, which they displayed in for seventeen years. Buddy and his wife retired the antiques business in 2006. Buddy and his surviving wife, Athalene, enjoyed life together for 65 years. Buddy enjoyed their home, family, and friends. They also enjoyed fishing, boating, and their cottage on Lake Vermilion in Minnesota for 25 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and three brothers. He is survived by his brother, Glenn Wallin. He and his wife enjoyed church, watching sports, shopping for antiques and were avid in personal fitness. Buddy had been a Christian since childhood and was a past member of Ashland Baptist Church in Lexington, KY, and a present member of Hamilton First Baptist Church of Hamilton, OH. He was a member of the Hamilton Community Foundation Legacy Society. The funeral will be held at the Avance Funeral Home and Crematory in Fairfield, Ohio. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Burial Park in Hamilton, OH. Contributions may be made in his name to the Hamilton Community Foundation at 319 North 3rd St., Hamilton, OH 45044 for college scholarships to needy students at Fairfield and Hamilton High Schools. Condolences may be given at www.avancefuneralhome.com