Stanley Charles Wallace, 72, of Paducah, passed away at 9:34 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, at his residence.
Stanley was born on Aug. 12, 1953, to James and Verlene Wallace. As a boy, he was active in Boy Scouts and earned his Eagle Scout Badge. He graduated from Reidland High School in 1971. As a young man, he apprenticed with his father and uncles in the home building business. He married his High School Sweetheart, Carole Harned and they had two sons, Daniel and Jason. He joined the US Coast Guard in 1974 at the age of 20 and had a 24-year career serving on the rivers and at sea, climbing through the ranks to senior chief. Carol would later get cancer, and he submitted retirement papers in order to bring her back to their hometown of Paducah. Following her death, he worked on the river as a tugboat pilot, a surveyor for the Army Corps of Engineers, and lastly for West Kentucky Community and Technical College as the developer and instructor in their Nautical Science program. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Paducah. He was blessed to marry again to Beverly O'Nan and joined their two families for 25 years.
He was preceded in death by his father, James Kendrick Wallace; first wife, Carole Wallace; grandson, Zach Helm.
He is survived by his wife, Beverly Wallace; mother, Verlene Wallace; sons, Daniel (Rachel) Wallace, Jason Wallace and Casey O'Nan; daughter, Valerie (Chad) Helm; sisters, Lois Wallace and Peggy (Ron) Chaves; grandchildren, Madeline Wallace, Katherine Wallace, Alec Wallace, Alex (Lauren) Helm and Alexis (Logan) Utley, Brooklyn O'Nan and River O'Nan, Madalyn Deweese; great-grandchildren, Averee Helm, Marlee Utley, Landreee Utley, Collins Utley, Linlee Helm and Berkley Helm; niece, Leah Chaves; nephew, Jacob Chaves, stepmother, Marlene Wallace, as well as aunts, uncles and several cousins.
Funeral services will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, at Hughes Funeral Home in Paducah with Tommy Tucker and Brian Arnold officiating. Burial will follow at Salem Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from noon-2 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions made to National Coast Guard Museum Assoc., 125 Eugene O'Neill Drive, Suite 311, New London, CT 06320; or First Baptist Church, 2800 Broadway, Paducah, KY 42001; or The Gideons International, Paducah South Camp, PO Box 3232, Paducah, KY 42002-3232.
You may leave a message of sympathy or light a memorial candle at hughesfuneral.com.
Hughes Funeral Home of Paducah is in charge of arrangements.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read moreWhat kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read moreWe'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreIf you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read moreLegacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read moreThey're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.
Read moreYou may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read moreThese free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read moreSome basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read more