Manuel Wallace

Manuel A. Wallace, Col (R) USAF/ANG and Longtime resident of Anchorage, Alaska died July 4th, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A visitation is planned at the Veterans Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada with immediate internment of his cremated remains.

Manuel was born February 6, 1943, in McCrory, Arkansas. He grew up and attended school in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Graduating with Honors from Coleman High School in May 1961. He attended AM&N College in September 1961. After a year of attending AM&N in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, he delayed his education to assist with family matters. He entered the US Air Force in January 1963 and after graduating from Basic was assigned to Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas in March 1963. Manuel's career goal was to be accepted into the Airman Commissioning program with a desire to fly. That dream was smashed when he failed the Eye exam. He remained on Active Duty and after he completed his time at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas he was reassigned to Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage Alaska on December 24, 1964. After completing his Active Duty tour, Manuel was offered an opportunity to leave Active duty and immediately join the Alaska Air National Guard at Anchorage, Alaska on February 10, 1968. Manuel continued to work on his education and was later accepted into a direct commissioning program to become a Commissioned Officer. He achieved that goal on March 23, 1977, when he was commissioned/appointed as a Second Lieutenant by President Richard M. Nixon after completing the Officer Preparatory Academy at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, in Maryville, Tennessee. Manuel is a graduate of the University of Alaska, Anchorage with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree. He completed all of his military requirements including being a graduate of the Air Force Air War College at Gunter AFB, Alabama. Manuel holds numerous military awards and decorations. Manuel retired on December 31, 2005, at the rank of Colonel. While serving with the Air Guard, Manuel concurrently worked in the civilian community with the National Weather Service and the Alaska Railroad where he retired as Manager, Human Resources Development in Aug 1992. After retirement from Alaska, Railroad Manuel served as Executive Assistant to the Mayor of Anchorage. He left that position after two years to run unsuccessfully for the public office of Senator. After a brief period, Manuel accepted a position with Alaska Air Lines, serving in Anchorage, Seattle, and Las Vegas.

Manuel's other community service included time on the Providence Hospital Advisory Board, Member and Exalted Ruler of the Anchorage Elks Lodge, Member of the East Anchorage Rotary Club with 13 years of Perfect attendance, and the designation of Paul Harris Fellow for his personal contributions to the Rotary Foundation of Rotary Internationals. Member of the Spenard Lions Club, Member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Member of the Alaska Black Caucus, and a member of the Shiloh Baptist Church.

Manuel is survived by his immediate family. Spouse Florina T. Wallace, Daughters Esma Wallace, and Erica Wallace-Carter; all of Las Vegas, Nevada. Son Manuel A. Wallace, Jr (Cecelia) of Jacksonville, Arkansas. Grand Kids Tyler A. (Katy) Landvogt, Christina Wallace-Carter, Ethan Roth of Las Vegas, Nevada, and a large number of other relatives and grandkids too numerous to mention here.