Donald Howard Wallace

Ithaca, New York - Professor Donald Howard Wallace, 75, of 2790 N. Triphammer Road, Ithaca New York, peacefully passed away April 19, 2002, at the Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca from complications due to a series of strokes and pneumonia. Donald was born June 27, 1926, in Driggs, Idaho, located in beautiful Teton Valley, to William Howard and Wilda Buxton Wallace. He was a resident of Ithaca since 1953 when he arrived with his family to attend Cornell University. Don graduated from Teton High School in 1944 and immediately entered the United States Navy from which he was honorably discharged as electronics technician's mate in 1946. That same year he was called to serve a mission to Eastern Canada for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints LDS. Shortly after his return on June 1, 1949, he married Naomi Parrish in the Logan, Utah LDS Temple. Don graduated from Utah State University in 1953 and received his PH.D. in vegetable crops and plant breeding from Cornell University in 1958. He was appointed to the rank of assistant professor later that year and full professor in 1971. Don served the university well and was recognized nationally and internationally for his contributions in plant breeding research and teaching, for which he humbly received many awards. He co-authored about 100 scientific articles and served on over 30 graduate committees. A compilation of 45 years of work was published in 1998 in the book he co-authored entitled ''Plant Breeding and Whole-System Crop Physiology: Improving Cropy Maturity, Adapatation and Yield''. Don retired from Cornell in 1992, but continued to work until a few weeks before his death. He served over 20 years with the Boy Scouts of America program and three times as a local leader of the Ithaca Branch and Ward congregations of the LDS Church. He was a wonderful, caring husband, father and grandfather. Don is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Naomi Parrish Wallace; three daughters: Patricia Koltko, Ithaca; Paulette and John Taylor, Laie, Hawaii; and Carol Nelson, Austin, Texas; and two sons: Conley and Elizabeth Wallace, Nazareth, PA; and Russell and Marti Wallace, Orem, Utah; 18 grandchildren and one great-grandchild; sisters, Elen David Hanks, Albuquerque, N.M.; Lora Van Myers, Murray, Utah; Lu Wallace, Orem; and Wanda Wallace, Las Vegas, Nev; an aunt, Barbara Dittmore, Provo, Utah; and many nieces and nephews. Donald was preceded in death by his son, Gaylen 1952 and grandson, Jonathan Taylor 1994. Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday. April 23, 2002, at the Ithaca Ward LDS Chapel located at 114 Burleigh Drive, with Bishop Richard Park officiating. Friends were invited to call from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church. Burial will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, 2002 in the Logan City Cemetery, Logan, Utah where Don will be located next to his son Gaylen. In lieu of flowers, friends may send memorial contributions to the Perpetual Education Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, c/o Bishop Richard Park, 56 Mill Street, Dryden, New York, 13053. This fund provides supporting loans to needy individuals in less developed countries for the prupose of higher education and technical training. Service arrangements are entrusted to the Perkins Funeral Home, 55 West Main Street, Dryden and the Nelson Funeral Home, Logan.