James Arnold Wallace, 91, passed away on the morning of Monday, February 23, 2026, in Tomball, Texas.

A proud Texas native, Mr. Wallace was born on June 16,1934 in Nacogdoches where he resided until joining the U.S. Navy in 1951 at the age of 18. He was sent for his training assignment to the Navy base in Millington, Tennessee. On June 19, 1953, he married the love of his life, Wanda Jean Underwood, on the Navy base in Millington.

5 months later Mr. Wallace was transferred to a Navy base in San Diego, California where he and Wanda welcomed daughter Barbara Annell in 1954. The Wallaces remained in San Diego until Mr. Wallace completed his duty with the Navy and moved his family to Austin, Texas. It was there that his love affair with the Texas Longhorns began!

While in Austin, they welcomed a daughter, Karen Jean (1956), and a son, James Keith (1958). After nearly a decade in Austin, the Wallaces settled in Cypress, Texas in 1963 where their "caboose", Stacey Carol, arrived in 1965.

Mr. Wallace spent the majority of his professional career with the M.W. Kellogg/Brown & Root Corporation as a purchasing agent before retiring in 1996. Soon thereafter, Jim and Wanda moved to their retirement home on Lake Cherokee in Longview, Texas.

Wallace was preceded in death by his parents James Calvin and Lila Mae.

Mr. Wallace is survived by his loving wife of 72 years Wanda Jean; sister Nita Jo Woods (Gene) of Huntsville, Texas; daughter Barbara Hupy (Guy) of Huffman, Texas; daughter Karen Wagner (Kevin) of Denham Springs, Louisiana; son Jimmy (Jackie) of Cypress, Texas; and daughter Stacey Elias (Joseph) of Lexington, Kentucky. He was the proud patriarch of 9 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren, and he enjoyed nothing more than being surrounded by his loving family whenever possible.

Mr. Wallace will be memorialized at a private family gathering at First Baptist Church in Tomball, Texas on Saturday, March 7.