John Christopher Wallace

1983 - 2014

1983 ~ 2014
John Christopher Wallace, 30, Salt Lake City, was taken suddenly from his loving family and friends in an accident on July 12, 2014.
Chris was born in Orem on July 25, 1983, the only child of Steven Roren Wallace and Susan Smith Wallace. In 1986, following their divorce, his mother married Michael Ray Morris. Chris was a devoted older brother to seven children in the Morris family and to two younger sisters in the Wallace family.
Chris received a full-tuition scholarship to Utah Valley University, where he earned an associate's degree in General Studies. While earning his bachelor's degree in Communications from the University of Utah, he published newspaper articles, short stories and poetry. Mentored by his stepfather, Chris pursued a career as a writer and editor, most recently in online marketing and search-engine optimization.
Chris was an avid reader from childhood, and as a teenager he began developing talents that allowed him to become a self-taught visual artist, musician, and composer. His artwork was displayed at Salt Lake City galleries, and he wrote music scores for local independent films. He enjoyed adventure and the outdoors. He had a particular gift for understanding and appreciating people, which won him many friends and bound him closely to his family.
Chris met his perfect match in Elisabeth Jane King of Provo, whom he married on Nov. 21, 2009. Together they provided a home for many shelter animals, including their dog, Lambert, and cat, Ziggy.
Besides his wife, parents and stepfather, Chris is survived by his Morris siblings, all of Spanish Fork: James (Kira) Morris, Emily (Chris) Dinehart, Michael Jr., Michelle, Samuel, Rachel and Thomas. His surviving grandparents are Dee and Ruth Wallace of Yuba City, California; Donald and Vera Smith of Phoenix, Arizona; and Ivan and Jerry Morris of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Services will be held on Saturday, July 19, at Jenkins Soffe Funeral Home, 4760 S. State, Murray. A gathering will be at 11 a.m., followed by a funeral at 12 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to the John Christopher Wallace Memorial Fund are appreciated for funeral and end-of-life expenses (America First Credit Union, P.O. Box 9199, Ogden, UT 84409, Account #9067661). Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.jenkins-soffe.com