David Sherman Wallace, 65 years old of New Haven, Indiana, passed away on Wednesday, December 31, 2014 at his residence following a three month battle with pancreatic cancer and 15 years with Parkinson's disease. He was born in March of 1949 in Van Wert, Ohio the son of the late Sherman Hudson Wallace and the late Ethel Elizabeth (Dunifon) Wallace. As a child, David grew up on a farm in Haviland, Ohio which cultivated his adult interest in gardening. Later, his family moved to Van Wert, Ohio where he graduated from Van Wert High School in 1967. In 1971, he graduated from Tri-State College with an associate's degree in machine design technology, followed by employment in Van Wert at Foy-Johnston Paint Store as a manager and Republic Buildings as a draftsman. In 1975, he married Nancy Ann Berryman. His love for the fine arts was encouraged at a young age by his mother who took him to summer classes at the Wassenberg Art Center in Van Wert; to which he belonged throughout most of his adult life. He exhibited, received awards for and was commissioned to create artworks throughout Ohio and northeastern Indiana. In 1985, he attended Indiana-Purdue University in Fort Wayne, working towards his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. In 1986, he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Education degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. From 1987 to 1988, he taught high school art at Christian Haven Homes in Wheatfield, Indiana; a residential center for delinquent male youth. In 1991, he received his Master of Fine Arts in Education degree from Miami University, graduating summa cum laude. Following substitute teaching, he was employed from 1994 to 1995 as an elementary art teacher at University Baptist School in Jacksonville, Florida. After seven years teaching K-12 art at Fort Wayne Christian School, he retired in 2002 following his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. In 2006, he represented the state of Indiana at the World's Parkinson's Congress held in Washington, D.C. by donating two art pieces that were auctioned for the benefit of Parkinson's research. Previous to his diagnosis, he regularly attended churches in the areas in which he lived, serving as a nursery worker, a children's Sunday school teacher, a youth group leader, and an usher. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Wallace of New Haven; son, Ian David (Elizabeth) Wallace of Columbia City; son, Aaron David (Jennifer) of New Haven; daughter, Sarah Ann Wallace of New Haven; sister, Phyllis (Walter) Koch of Elida, Ohio; sister, Marlene (John) McHenney of Waterville, Ohio; brother-in-law, Rex Moore of Decatur; and five grandchildren, Addison; Alaina; Parker; Lucy; and Maya. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Naomi Irene (Wallace) Moore. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 5, 2015 in the Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home with Pastor Matt Moore officiating. Interment will follow in the Decatur Cemetery. Friends will be received from 1 to 4 p.m., Sunday, January 4 in the Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home in Decatur. Preferred memorials are to the family.
