Dr. James Gilbert Wallace, M.D., 77, of Williamston, husband of Brantley Claytor Drake-Wallace, passed away peacefully at his home on January 10, 2021. Dr. Wallace was the son of the late Ruth Spicer Clark and Nehemiah Wilson Wallace.
Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, he attended Myers Park High School and graduated from Davidson College. He pursued his medical degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, where he graduated with honors, serving as Vice President of his senior class.
Upon completing his surgical residency at the University of Florida, Dr. Wallace accepted a commission as a surgeon with the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Berlin, Germany where he was promoted from captain to major. After three years, he was honorably discharged and began a Surgical Fellowship at Emory University in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He completed a second surgical fellowship at the prestigious University of Aberdeen, Scotland.
Dr. Wallace spent his first 5 years practicing medicine as a surgeon in Pinehurst, North Carolina. In 1980, he moved to Greenville, South Carolina, where he spent the next 37 years in private practice serving the greater Greenville community. His primary passion was plastic and reconstructive surgery for children and families during times of acute need and he was especially committed to caring for his patients at Shriners Hospital.
The love he had for helping others extended to his humanitarian trips with the international non-profit surgical group, Interplast. On numerous occasions, Dr. Wallace travelled with teams of surgeons, nurses, and technicians to serve the less fortunate in remote villages of Peru, India, and Vietnam. When the Greenville Free Medical Clinic opened in 1987, Dr. Wallace committed his time for the next 25 years.
Dr. Wallace was an avid gardener and upon retirement, he pursued a pas sion for farming, planting beautiful flowers, and caring for his many beloved animals, great and small. He would spend his days feeding his cows, goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, and all his many dogs, cats, squirrels, and rabbits. He loved giving them his time and affection and they enjoyed returning it to him. His commitment to his home, farm, and family was unsurpassable and will always be cherished.
He was beloved by his children, family, peers, staff, and especially his patients. His legacy is his kind heart and service to others for over 53 years. He will be dearly missed by those who knew and loved him by his many loving names: Dr. Wallace, Jimmy, Jim, Mij, Papa, Opah, and Daddy.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Brantley Alicia Drake-Wallace (of the home); his stepchildren, Devin Drake (Autumn Holcombe) and their daughter, Adalynn Grace; Leah Drake, Abby and Jacob Henderson; his wife’s parents, Steve and Sandra Claytor; his daughter, Monte Nicholson; her children, Kirk and Nicholson Stone; his daughter, Sara Spicer and her husband, Tom Heath; his son, Ben and his wife, Ginger, their daughters, Emslie, Virginia, and Sara Tabb; and his son, Shepard and his wife, Amanda, and their mother, Monte Nicholson “Nicky” Wallace. He is survived by his siblings, Bill Wallace and his wife, Karen, and Charles Wallace and his wife, Lou Anne, Katherine Wallace Cook and her husband, Bobby; brother-in-law, Dan Hoffman, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was predeceased by a sister, Sandra Wallace Hoffman.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, a private family memorial service is planned for a later date. No public memorial is scheduled at this time.
Upon his passing, it was Dr. Wallace’s wish that his passion for all his animals and the standard of care he gave them every day could continue and they would be able to live out their lives with love, compassion, and security. Please make all memorial contributions and expressions of sympathy to his cause, Mij’s Animal Sanctuary, https://gofund.me/A4766C57 or Venmo: @ mijsanctuary.
Gray Mortuary, Pelzer Condolences: www.graymortuary.com
Copyright (c) 2021 The Greenville News 01/17/2021