Kenneth Arthur Wallace, Jr.

“So he passed over and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side.”
—Pilgrim’s Progress

Kenneth Arthur Wallace, Jr. was born in Flint, MI on November 14, 1933. He grew up in the Civic Park neighborhood, graduated from Flint Central High School in June 1952, and continued his education at Mott Junior College and Albion College.

Ken was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1958 and honorably discharged in 1960. He was stationed in Baltimore at the Army Chemical Center and served as a member of the 327th Army Band, where he played his cornet for President Eisenhower and at Arlington National Cemetery. In 1961, he moved to Kokomo, IN for work and soon met his wife of 63 years, Patricia Joanne. They married in April 1962 in Flint, MI and remained there until 2000.

Ken retired from a mechanical engineering career in 1996. He was a lifelong member of Trinity United Methodist Church until he and Patricia retired to Spring Hill, FL. For nearly 20 years, he enjoyed golf, Bridge and sunshine. In 2024, Petoskey, MI became his permanent residence on his beloved Pickerel Lake, where he spent summers since 1940 and days fishing. But music and the trumpet were his first love. He performed professionally and voluntarily with the Flint Concert Band, the Trinity brass group, and the Timber Pines Jazz Band.

Ken is survived by his wife, Patricia; his children, Kenneth Arthur Wallace III, MD, Kelly Wallace, and Kathleen (Brian) Doyle; his grandchildren, Liam Wallace Doyle and McKenzie Jean Wallace; and his step-granddaughters Kaya (Alex) Ramos and Teagan Youngquist. He was surrounded by his wife, children, and dear friends in his final moments on December 7, 2025.

A memorial service is planned for Summer 2026 in Petoskey. To honor Ken’s military service, memorial gifts may be made to Honor Flight of West Central Florida at https://honorflightwcf.org/donate.php, or mailed to Honor Flight of West Central Florida, P. O. Box 55661, St. Petersburg, FL 33732, earmarked for Timber Pines Military Veterans (TPMV.)