William Newton (Yandell) Wallace was born October 26, 1934 to William Taylor and Lillie Yandell Wallace in Beckham County Oklahoma. William was one of 13 children in the Wallace household, he was the second oldest son and the fifth oldest child. As a young kid, William went to work in the cotton fields helping his parents and siblings.  The family would spend their summers working in Willow, Oklahoma where they resided and traveling through the mid-south-west, into Texas and New Mexico. In the winters, they would travel back to Tishamingo, Oklahoma working as sharecroppers and cotton farmers.

William dropped out of school in the third grade to work in the fields full time to help support his family. A few short years later, at the age of 13 he left home to begin making his own way by working in construction. William traveled across many states while in construction and other trade jobs during his travels. Among others, he worked in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. From the age of 13 to 25, little is known about his life.

In the late 1950s, William was working construction in Chandler, OK when he met Mary Wayne in a café. In 1959, he married Mary Wayne Wilson and moved to Wellston, OK. Over the next 10 years, they had three children, Karen (1962), William (1964), and Kevin (1969). William was a good father and provider for his family, all while remaining consistent in his beliefs on education. After raising his family in Wellston and ensuring all three of his children had a good education, William sought to focus on his own.

Despite having limited education, William strived to learn all he could in every aspect. Most of his life he relied on his common sense and “street smarts” he had picked up in his early days working on farms, in construction and traveling around the US. In the late 1980s, William attended Francis Tuttle Technology Center where he worked to improve his reading and writing skills, skills that most of his siblings never obtained. William worked to better himself for his family and community; his ambition to read and write even late in life is a testament to this.

William believed that knowledge and education was one of the most important aspects in life. He was known for his many sayings regarding knowledge, and a few are paraphrased below:

“Knowledge is the first step to success and with knowledge you can do anything you set your mind to.”

“Once you have the knowledge that education provides, it is yours alone and no one can take it from you.”

William instilled in his family and the others around him the worth that a good education, a skilled trade, and a good work ethic can provide. This legacy has been passed down to his children and grandchildren and will continue for generations. William Wallace passed away in 1996, weeks before his 62nd birthday.

He was an important part of many lives and will continue to touch many more lives through this Foundation that honors his legacy and will benefit individuals of all backgrounds working towards bettering themselves, their families, and their communities.