Helen Marie Wallace

Helen Marie (Martin) Wallace, 84, died March 17th at the Leonardville Nursing Home. She was born October 24th, 1941 in Pittsburg, KS to Joseph and Helen (O’Malley) Martin and was raised south of Weir, KS on a small farm. She attended Weir High School where she was a majorette, cheerleader and homecoming queen for the Weir Wildcats, graduating in 1959. In school she met her love, Larry Wallace, Sr. and the pair were wed January 23, 1960 and later had four children.

She and Larry came to Clay Center, KS, where they bought Easy Pay Tires, which later became Bud’s Tire Service. There, Helen Marie was not only a wife and mother, but a business partner. She did books for the business and filled in as needed, all while raising her family.

Helen was president of the Clay County Hospital Auxiliary and served many years on the Clay County Hospital board.

Her hobbies were golf, bridge club, and entertaining friends, family, and her grandchildren. She was an avid crocheter and made blankets for family members in her signature, striped zig-zag design.

She is preceded in death by her husband and both parents, two brothers, Joe and Carl Ed, and one, grandson, Matthew Wayne.

She is survived by her four kids, Larry Wallace Jr. (Tracy), Betty Livengood (Jeff), Benny Wallace (Deb), and Marty Wallace, all of Clay Center; 10 grandkids, Chelsie Helms (Kevin), Bethaney Phillips (Joshua), Jamie Reed (Jeremy), Kyler Wallace, Hillary Little (Dan), Shannon Stark (Tyler), Kaylee Stucky (Dillon), Brett Wallace, Kade Wallace, and Kinzlee Wallace; and 19 great-grandkids.

Funeral services will be held Monday, March 23rd at 10 am at the Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church.

Visitation is Sunday, March 22nd from 3-5 at Neill-Schwensen-Rook Funeral Home with a rosary immediately following visitation.

Memorials can be sent to the Helen Wallace Memorial, which will be designated at a later date.