Mr. Ronald Wesley Wallace, 87, of Columbia, formerly of Belleville, died Feb. 21, 2022 at Memorial Hospital East in Shiloh. 

Mr. Wallace, son of the late Floyd and Gertrude (Myers) Wallace, was born on July 2, 1934, in East St. Louis. 

Mr. Wallace was a 1958 graduate of Illinois College in Jacksonville and was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Illinois College in 2006 in appreciation for his many years of dedicated service as a member of the college’s Board of Trustees.

After graduating from college, Mr. Wallace served in the United States Navy aboard the USS Shenandoah which was stationed in Norfolk, Va. After being honorably discharged from naval service, Mr. Wallace worked at the Farmers State Bank and Trust in Jacksonville. In 1962, Mr. Wallace joined the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis as a bank examiner. In 1966, he joined Union Bank of Illinois, formerly known as Union National Bank of East St. Louis. He was named president of the bank in 1971. Ron’s career with Union Bank, and its holding company, Union Illinois Company, spanned over 30 years during which time he served on the board of directors for Union, State Bank of Jerseyville and Columbia National Bank, for which he was a founding director. In 2006, Mr. Wallace was called out of retirement to serve as interim President of the State Bank of Red Bud.

Mr. Wallace devoted countless hours to charitable organizations. As mentioned previously, he was a proud member of the Board of Trustees at Illinois College in Jacksonville. He served on the boards of numerous organizations and regional banking groups. Ron served Blessed Sacrament Parish in Belleville as a parish trustee and member of the school board. In addition, he was on the financial advisory board at Althoff Catholic High School, the financial advisory board for the Diocese of Belleville and served on numerous boards for the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, including their former radio station, WMRY. Mr. Wallace was a founding member of Target 2000 which sought to provide low interest loans to minorities. Ron was awarded the Kimmel Award from SIU Edwardsville for his outstanding achievements in community leadership and involvement.

Mr. Wallace was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Columbia

Mr. Wallace is survived by his wife, Margaret (Carle) Wallace, whom he married on Aug. 23, 1958, at Immaculate Conception Church in Columbia; children Steven (Joan) Wallace, Rita Wallace, and Elizabeth (Robert) Lukomski; and his grandchildren Michael (Jess) Binetsch, Jennifer (Cole) Lati and Faith Lukomski; sister-in-law,Linda Wallace; brother-in-law, Arthur Carle; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives. He will also be missed like nobody’s business by Stella Capella, a precocious but precious long-haired Chihuahua. 

In addition to his parents, Mr. Wallace was preceded in death by his brother Floyd Wallace along with other relatives and friends.

Visitation is 10-11 a.m. March 5 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Columbia. 

Funeral Mass will be celebrated following visitation at the church.

A private inurnment will be held at a later date at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis.

As an expression of sympathy, the family prefers memorial contributions to the Eugene J. Schorb – Immaculate Conception School Fund for Catholic Education, 

Arrangements were handled by Leesman Funeral Home.