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Richard 'Dick,' 'Wally' Charles Wallace, 73

| August 31, 2022 12:00 AM

Richard "Dick," "Wally" Charles Wallace, 73, courageously fought a battle with heart disease but lost that battle on Aug. 26, 2022, in Kalispell.

He was born on Sept. 30, 1948, to Kenneth Francis and Lola Mabel (Miller) Wallace in Denver. After graduating high school, he went to college at Trinidad Junior College and on to Central Missouri State College.

He was a police officer for a time for the city of Littleton, Colorado, then went into banking which brought him to Montana. He lived in Great Falls then transferred to Kalispell where he worked for Wells Fargo for 30 years, six months, and nine days, if you asked him.

He served as a volunteer with several nonprofits over the years, including Flathead County Search and Rescue, United Way, and Energy Share of Montana. Later in life he worked for Walmart and enjoyed his time there as he would see people he hadn't seen in years, and was always so happy to reconnect. If you couldn't find him in the store, you just had to be quiet for a moment and you could hear the booming voice from the gentle giant anywhere in the store.

Dick fell in love and married Betty Burton in 1975 and they welcomed three children, Jason, Krista and Christopher. He lost Betty to cancer in 2002 and Jason to an arterial embolism in 2003.

Dick found love again with Kimberly DeWitt and they were married in 2014. They packed in a lifetime of love by traveling, camping, and enjoying time with their kids, grandkids, extended families and friends.

Losing Dick leaves a huge hole in the lives of his wife, Kimberly; his son's family, Christopher and Crystal Wallace, granddaughters Lannie and Carlee; his daughter's family, Krista and Juan Sattler, granddaughters Maayana, Lolita, and Ivory; all of Kalispell; his son Jason's family, Sarah Wallace, granddaughter Katlyn, and great-grandson Jayden of Great Falls.

He will also be sorely missed by his father-in-law, Jerry and his wife Kris DeWitt of Westminster, Maryland; stepsons and their families, Nikolas and Jennifer Caron, grandchildren Elliana and Lukas, Ryan and Kelsi Caron, grandchildren Isaac, Emera, and Layla, all of Kalispell; brother, Tim and Deb Wallace, honorary sister Sharlie and Rick Morel, all of Denver; the extended Miller, Wallace, Burton and DeWitt families and friends from all over.

Anyone who knew Dick knew he was a loving son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and a friend to so many. If he didn't have a family member or friend wherever we were, he made new friends. He always had a kind word and a big smile and whenever you would ask him how he was; he would say "finer than frog hair." It may take a while for us all to feel finer than frog hair, but strive to find happiness because that's what he would have wanted.

We will say goodbye to this wonderful man. A viewing will be Thursday, Sept. 1, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. Funeral services will be on Friday, Sept. 2, at 10 a.m. at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home, with burial to follow at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery, and a reception at the Woodland Park Pavilion.

Friends are encouraged to visit the website www.buffalohillfh.com to leave notes of condolence for the family. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for the family.