Velma Lunt Wallace obituary

Velma Lunt Wallace Obituary

Wichita, Kansas, United States

May 16, 2016 - July 08, 2012

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Velma Lunt Wallace obituary

Velma Lunt Wallace Obituary

May 16, 2016 - Jul 08, 2012

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Wallace, Velma Lunt, passed away on July 8, 2012 at her home in Wichita, Kansas. Velma was born on May 16, in Wichita, Kansas, and grew up on her parents' dairy farm. She graduated from Wichita North High School and Wichita Business College. Velma was hired at Cessna Aircraft Company in 1937 to be the Executive Secretary to Dwane L. Wallace. Velma and Dwane married in 1941, and were blessed with four daughters. With a busy family, Velma still found time to volunteer for the Camp Fire Girls, Meals on Wheels, Red Cross and the United Way. Sharing Dwane's love of flying, Velma became a pilot herself, with single and multi-engine ratings. After Dwane's death in 1989, Velma continued giving her time and resources. She and Dwane established the Wallace Scholar Program at Wichita State University in 1976 to provide scholarships to engineering students. The program recently celebrated its 35th anniversary. Velma was very proud of the Wallace Scholars and their achievements. Velma was a member of the WSU Foundation Board, the National Advisory Council and was honored in 1992 with the prestigious Presidents' Medal. She was named an Honorary Alumna in 1997. She helped form Women in Philanthropy at WSU, and was honored by her daughters with a bench in the Plaza of Heroines. Committed to education and the community, Velma set up an endowment for the development and operation of "Exploration Place/The Wallace Center for Creative Learning," which opened in 2000. Over the years, Velma was involved with The Kansas Society for Crippled Children, American Red Cross (Midway Kansas Chapter Honorary Life Member), Kansas 4-H Foundation (Emerita), the Wesley Foundation, Wichita Rotary Charitable Fund, and the United Way of the Plains (the Dwane L. Wallace Youth Venture Program), and served on the boards of several of these organizations. Velma was also a member of Chapter EM, P.E.O. Her support of the arts in Wichita included Music Theater, Wichita Art Museum, Wichita Symphony and Center for the Arts. It was with enormous pride that Velma received many prestigious awards. As the recipient of the Uncommon Citizen Award from the Chamber of Commerce in 1998, she followed in the footsteps of her husband, Dwane, who had received it in 1979. Other recognitions included the Kansas Arthritis Foundation's "Woman of the Year," the National Society of Fund Raising Executives' Outstanding Philanthropy Award and the Sedgwick County Arts and Humanities Council's Gordon W. Evans Award, Forum for Executive Women's Wing Walker Award, and in 2010, the Wichita Aeroclub Trophy. Most recently, Velma received the Award for Exceptional Volunteer Leadership presented to her by the Red Cross. Her husband, Dwane L. Wallace, preceded her in death in 1989. Velma is survived by 4 daughters: Linda Wallace Jones (Richard), Karen Johnson (Jim), Diana Wilkonson, and Sarah Bracco (Brian), 9 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. A celebration of Velma's life will be on July 14, 2012, 11 a.m. at the University Congregational Church, 9209 E. 29th St. N., Wichita, Kansas. A reception will be held from 10-11 a.m., before the service, at the church. A private burial service will be held. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations may be made to the American Red Cross, 1900 E. Douglas, Wichita, Kansas 67214, the United Way of the Plains, 245 N. Water St., Wichita, Kansas 67202, or the Wichita Children's Home, 810 N. Holyoke St., Wichita, Kansas 67208. Memories and condolences for the family may be left at: www.dlwichita.com
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