Emery Logan Wallace

Reverend Emery Wallace, 93, of Oskaloosa and formerly of the Rose Hill/What Cheer area, passed away early February 23, 2016, at the Oskaloosa Care Center in Oskaloosa. Emery Logan Wallace, son of Jasper Logan and Lorene Mae (Hutchison) Wallace, was born, July 24, 1922, at the rural Mahaska County home of his parents. He served as president of his Thornburg High School graduating class of 1940. Before his senior year in high school, he became a Christian and felt the call of God to Christian ministry. During his senior year, Emery was baptized, became a member of the Thornburg Methodist Church, was licensed to preach, and preached his first sermon in his home church. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from John Fletcher College in University Park, IA. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky, in 1944. Following seminary Emery was appointed to the churches of Princeton and Spencer Brook in the Minnesota Conference of the Methodist Church. Emery was ordained an Elder in 1950. For thirty-nine years he served pastorates in Minnesota, including fourteen years at Asbury Church in Minneapolis and thirteen years at Grace Church in Fergus Falls (both with major building programs). Other churches served included First UMC in Virginia, Vineyard UMC in Hutchinson and Salem UMC in Blue Earth. One month after coming to Minnesota, Emery was united in marriage to Dorothy Mae Spurrell, September 7, 1947, in her home church, First Methodist in Watertown, South Dakota. Together they had two children, Carolyn Louise, and Charles Logan. Following retirement in 1986, the Wallace’s raised cattle, sheep, and chickens, plus gardening and the growing of fruit trees on their Century Farm in Iowa. Emery supplied pulpits in twenty-five area churches and for over eleven years he and his wife Dorothy provided sacred music each Sunday in one or more of some fifty area churches. Emery had a great zest for life and an unwavering love for his wife, Dorothy. They shared 68 years of richly blessed ministry, proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and helping to lead the people of God into a meaningful experience of the saving grace of Christ as Lord. His children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were his pride and joy. Emery was preceded in death by his parents and his son, Charles Logan. His family includes his wife, Dorothy of Oskaloosa; his daughter, Carolyn Wallace Nelson and her husband CAPT David Nelson, USN Ret. of Dumfries, VA; his sister, May O. Wallace of Newberg, OR; a daughter-in-law, LuOna Goodwin of Prior Lake, MN; and five grandchildren: Christine Lynn Nelson Last, Bradley David Nelson, Beth Anne Nelson Moorleghen, Matthew Logan Wallace and Christopher Owen Wallace. He is also survived by three great-grandchildren: Alexa James Last, Sienna Catelyn Last, and Austin Bradley Nelson. What a fruitful, joyful and rewarding journey it has been. Thanks be to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Emery Logan Wallace

July 24, 1922 - February 23, 2016