Thomas Leland Wallace

Thomas Leland Wallace, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, uncle, friend and Illinois Central Gulf Railroad man, passed into Heaven on Monday, February 2, 2026, in Jackson, Mississippi, at the age of 86.

Leland was born to Thomas Ephraim and Ruth Elizabeth Alexander Wallace on February 1,1940 in Summit, Mississippi. After growing up a hard- working little boy in Pike County, he graduated from McComb High School in 1958, and from Southwest Mississippi Junior College in 1960. It was during his time at SMJC that he met and married his "sweet baby", Faye Carroll. They had two children, Janice Faith and Christopher Carroll Wallace, and later they adopted their 2nd son and nephew, Michael Eugene Carroll Wallace, Little Mike. They loved and raised them on Cherry Street.

Afte a short time as a manager at Woolworth's Department Store in McComb, Mississippi, he joined Illinois Central Gulf Railroad as a brakeman and later a conductor and remained there for more than 40 years. He was a member of Fellowship Baptist Church in Summit where he served as a Deacon for many years.

Throughout his life, he spent his years with his precious wife of 60 years attending church, ballgames and other events around town until her passing in 2021. He was a hunter, a fisherman, an avid gardener, and always had beautiful flower gardens. He loved his Atlanta Braves baseball, never missing a game on TV. He gave his everything to his loved ones and could often be seen quietly standing on the sidelines of ballgames holding pom poms, football bags, baseball gloves or Mama's purse or shopping with his grand dog, Noche'.

His homegrown tomatoes were only rivaled in popularity by Paw Paw's "famous" hamburgers. Everyone who knew him loved him, and you would learn something new from him every time you talked to him.

He was preceded in death by his wife, his son Mike, his parents, his stepfather Troy Christopher Reid, his precious sister Lela Ann Smith and several brothers and sisters in law.

He is survived by his son, Christopher Wallace, and girlfriend Jenny, of Summit; his daughter, Faith Wallace Cooper and husband, Tony, of Benton, Arkansas; his grandchildren, Tyler Cooper (Patience), Tanner Cooper (Whitney), Turner Cooper (Ashten), Taylor Cooper (Jake), and bonus granddaughter Trisha Meek, all of Arkansas; Kristin Wallace Fenn (Blake), Lakin Wallace, Savannah Wallace Scariano (Cody), Thomas Wallace, Christopher Wallace, and Connor Wallace (Faith), all of Lincoln County; his great-grandchildren, Hadley "Cookie" Cooper of Benton, Arkansas, and a host of other great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law Frances Carlisle and Edith Carroll of Summit and McComb and brother-in-law, Eddie Joe Carroll of Smithdale; and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins whom he loved dearly.

Celebration of his life with his family will be held Monday, February 16, 2026 at Sharkey Funeral Home in Summit, with visitation at 10 a.m. and a funeral to follow at noon. Burial will be in Fellowship Baptist Church Cemetery. Please join his family if you can. Flowers and donations are welcome.