Oran Wallace

Oran Ray Wallace was born on March 23, 1935, and passed away peacefully July 8th, 2016 in Maricopa, Arizona at the age of 81. He was preceded in death by his mother Winnie Newell White; father, Lawrence Eugene Wallace; brother, Lester Wallace and sisters, Dorothy Randall, Virginia Cloud, Lucille Shaw, Bessie Seidl and Annetta (Tootsie) Keithley. Oran grew up on his parents’ farm outside of Springfield, Colorado along with his eight siblings. He graduated in 1953 from Springfield High School where he played basketball and football and made many lifelong friends. After graduation, he attended college in Trinidad, Colorado and in 1955, married Reta Mae Crisler. Together they raised two children, Chris and Marci and made Springfield their home. As longtime residents of the Springfield community, Oran and Reta owned and operated two Texaco stations and the Wallace Gift Shop on Main Street. In 1983, they moved to Denver where they enjoyed being close to their son’s family. Oran ran several successful businesses while in Colorado and then retired to sunny Arizona in 2011 to get away from all the snow! His son, Chris, and daughter-in-law, Stephanie joined them in Maricopa, AZ. in 2013. Oran truly enjoyed the warm weather and all the sunshine Arizona had to offer. Oran lived a full and active life in spite of enduring a triple bypass operation and complications from congestive heart failure. Throughout his life, he enjoyed traveling with his wife, Reta, to Hawaii, Tahiti, San Juan Puerto Rico, Holland, Portugal, Germany, Belgium and all throughout the United States. He loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter and fisherman. Some of his favorite memories were of family camping trips throughout the beautiful Colorado Mountains, fishing with his son at Lake Powell, visiting with his daughter, Marci from Texas and listening to his granddaughter, Amanda, sing. Gardening, landscaping and old Western movies were also things he loved. Oran was a hardworking man with a strong work ethic. He had a great sense of humor and never missed an opportunity to tell a good joke to bring a smile to someone’s face. He attended the Church of Christ while living in Colorado as well as in Arizona. As a man of great faith and strong moral values, he believed in the strength and love of our Lord Jesus Christ and the peace that would await him after his passing. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Reta Wallace of Maricopa, AZ; brother, Linnis Wallace of Springfield, Colorado; sister, Donis (Wallace) Steinbrueck of Springfield, Colorado; daughter, Marci Wallace of Dallas, Texas; son, Chris Wallace and his wife, Stephanie of Maricopa, AZ; granddaughter, Amanda Wallace of New York City along with many other relatives and friends. Oran will be greatly missed by family and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Heart Association.