Samuel Wallace Cundiff

Samuel Wallace Cundiff, 81, of Vinton, Virginia, went to be with the Lord on Monday, August 3, 2009. He spent his final days in his home surrounded by family and loved ones. Wallace was born in Huddleston, Virginia on June 20, 1928. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Benjamin Cundiff and Daisy Lemon Thompson Cundiff, and these brothers and sisters: W. E. (Bill) Cundiff, Irvin Cundiff, Troy Cundiff, Maurice Cundiff, Daisy Stevens, Pauline Woodford, Helen Stevens, and Christine Cundiff. Surviving are his wife of 57 years, Dorothy Mae Vawter Cundiff; children, Debbie Cundiff Davis, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., William (Bill) Cundiff and wife, Becky, of Salem, Samuel W. (Sam) Cundiff Jr. and wife, Terri and Marianne Nester and husband, Mike, of Vinton; brother, Jack Cundiff and wife, June, of Bedford; grandchildren, Victoria (Tori) Cundiff, Kirsten Cundiff, Benjamin (Ben) Cundiff, Andrew Cundiff, Hugh Cundiff, and Nicholas (Nick) Nester and Noah Nester.
Wallace graduated from the Medical College of Virginia School of Pharmacy in 1953. Wallace served in the US Army Medical Field Service Corp from 1953 through 1955, and served in the National Guard 29th Division from 1946 through 1956. He began his pharmacy career as a partner in White Front Pharmacy before opening Cundiff Drug Store in December, 1959, where he remained active until November, 2008.
Wallace was appointed to the Virginia Board of Pharmacy in 1988, serving for nine years, and served as its chairman 1991-1992. Wallace also served on the Roanoke County School Board from 1966 until 1969 during which time both William Byrd High School and Glenvar High School were constructed. He was committed to the development and promotion of Vinton where he served as President of the Vinton Dogwood Festival, President of the Vinton Chamber of Commerce, member of the Advisory Board of the Vinton First Aid Crew, Vinton Downtown Revitalization Steering Committee, and the Vinton Association of Merchants and Professionals. He was honored with the Vinton Most Outstanding Citizen Award in 1968 and the Vinton Father of the Year in 1982.
Wallace also served his community by serving as the President of the Vinton Host Lions Club in 1966 and later went on to serve as the Founding President of the Vinton Breakfast Lions Club in 1985. He also served as Zone Chairman in 1968, Most Valuable Lion in 1985, and received the Melvin Jones Scholar Award in 1993. He was honored with the naming of the Lion S. Wallace Cundiff Scholarship Fund by the Breakfast Lions Club in 2009, in recognition of his many years of dedicated community service.
Wallace attended Vinton Baptist Church and was a member of the Pete Sink Sunday School Class. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Lion S. Wallace Cundiff Scholarship Fund, through the Vinton Breakfast Lions Club, P.O. Box 902, Vinton, or the Vinton/Roanoke County Veteran's Monument, P.O. Box 365, Vinton.
Funeral services will be conducted at 12 noon Wednesday, August 5, 2009, at Vinton Baptist with the Rev. Dr. William E. Booth and the Rev. Dr. Robert L. Wayne officiating. Burial will follow in Mountain View Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4, 2009, at Oakey's Vinton Chapel and from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on Wednesday, August 5, 2009, at Vinton Baptist Church. Arrangements by Oakey's Vinton Chapel, 982-2221.