Wallace Hiram McDaniel was born at home May 20, 1920 in Gainesville, Texas to William Hiram McDaniel and Myrtle Howe McDaniel. He was predeceased by brothers Forest W. McDaniel, Harold R. McDaniel and wife Edna, by sisters Lois and Husband J.A. Gilliland, Margaret and Husband Ozzie Wilson and Wilma and husband Owen Martin.

Wallace's love of flying began with his first lesson at the age of 14. At the age of 17 Wallace was Barnstorming, thrilling people by taking off on windy March days idling his lightweight biplane and being blown backwards and landing.

On Sunday December 7, 1941 Wallace was leaving the funeral of his neighbor, former U.S. Senator W.O. Davis when he heard the terrible news of Pearl Harbor. He enlisted the next day in the Army Air Corps. He was a flight instructor, staff pilot and was one of six pilots out of fifty to survive the development and testing of aviation radar. He survived three serious plane crashes during this period.

His love of flying would continue all of his life. In addition to his Cessna, he built and flew two other planes into his late seventies. He was a longtime member of the Experimental Aircraft Association of America and attended many of their fly-ins across the country.

While attending Baylor University and Texas Christian University, he was Phi Beta Kappa majoring in mechanical engineering. After college he graduated from the University of Texas at Houston School of Dentistry. He was an outstanding Dental Surgeon in Ft. Worth and Houston, Texas. He treated anyone and everyone regardless of their ability to pay. He was predeceased by Billie Wanda Chapman, also from Gainesville, his wife for thirty two years. They adopted Ricky and Jill in 1955.

He was an excellent marksman and collected firearms all of his life. He was an avid hunter of birds, deer and looked forward to his annual Elk hunts in Colorado. He mostly kept his Cadillac in the garage and could be seen wearing his jumpsuit, boots and Stetson zipping around Houston in his 1947 Jeep.

Doc as he was called outlived his longtime friends other than the love of his youth, the love of his life, his wife of forty two years Leah, also from Gainesville.

Wallace was a devout believer in Jesus Christ. We were in Church most Sundays. He rejected the politics of organized religions putting his faith in the verses of the Holy Bible,

In the 1950's my father and I joined the Y - Indian Guides. His moniker was Long Bow and mine was Running Arrow. I know he is in the Happy Hunting Ground with his Heavenly Father, reunited with his family, playing his guitar, banjo, dulcimer or ukulele and singing praises to the Lord. He was blessed with a long and fruitful life.
He is survived by his loving wife, Leah Ruth McDaniel; children, Ricky McDaniel and wife, JoAnn and Jill Pilon; step-children, Sherry Keiser and husband, David, Gary Lucas and wife, Mary, and Danny Lucas; grandson, JJ McDaniel; niece, Lori Barton; several step-grandchildren; and numerous other relatives and many friends.