Melvin H. Wallace
Melvin Harrell Wallace, 67, husband of Sandra “Sandy” Hinson Wallace, died Sunday, July 25, 2010, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.
Born in Murfreesboro, Tenn., he was a son of the late Paul and Mary Sue Sims Wallace. Mr. Wallace was a member of First Baptist Church and the Casey Pitts Sunday School Class. He graduated from Central High School in Murfreesboro and attended Middle Tennessee State University. Mr. Wallace was a professional horse trainer for many years. He moved to Sumter as the trainer at Hinson’s Walking Horse Stables. He was retired from the City of Sumter. He was a member of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association and the S.C Horse Show Association. He was selected Trainer of the Year, Horseman of the Year and elected to the S.C. Walking Horse Association Hall of Fame. He was a judge for the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders Association and the Mountain Horse Association. Mr. Wallace felt his greatest accomplishment was working with juvenile riders and having eight of them attain the state award of Juvenile Rider of the Year. Mr. Wallace was also a professional auctioneer.
Surviving are his wife of Sumter; one son, Matthew Scott (Lisa) Wallace of Murfreesboro; one brother, Lynn Wallace of Murfreesboro; one sister, Jane James of Murfreesboro; two grandchildren, Josh and Kaitlyn Wallace; three nieces, Kim (Ransom) Jones and McKenzie Wallace, both of Murfreesboro, and Allison (Lee) Reaves of Alcolu; three nephews, Matthew Wallace, John (Tracy) Jones of Murfreesboro and Chris Rorick of Sumter; numerous great-nieces and great-nephews; his mother-in-law, Mary L. Hinson, and sister-in-law, Lynn H. (Bobby) Mood, all of Sumter; and one uncle, Harry Sims of Pulski, Tenn.
He was predeceased by his parents; a son, Michael Shane Wallace; three aunts, Hazel Turrentine, Nell Robertson and Evelyn Sims; one uncle, Charles Sims; and a sister-in-law, Judith H. Rorick.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Charles Clanton and the Rev. Lyn Anderson officiating.
Burial will follow at Evergreen Memorial Park.
Pallbearers will be Chris Rorick, Bobby Mood, Lee Reaves, Casey Pitts, Tommy Laney, Frank Laney, Landy Laney and David Boyce.
Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Casey Pitts Sunday School Class.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church Global Mission Fund, 107 E. Liberty St., P.O. Box 867, Sumter, SC 29150 or to the S.C. Walking Horse Scholarship Fund, c/o Tina Young, 1608 Williamson Road, Florence, SC 29505.
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and Crematory was in charge of the arrangements.
