John E. “Jack” Wallace

John E. “Jack” Wallace, age 94, Navy Veteran of WWII; passed from this life on November 24, 2022, at his home in Elmhurst. Jack was the beloved husband of the late Joan, nee Grondy; loving father of 13 children, Marianne (Peter) Prudhomme , Louise (Jim) Roche, Beth (Ron Gostek), Rich (Cathy), Steve (Mary), Marty, Barb (Chris) Congiusti, Dave (Mary), Mike (Telya), Cliff (Dorothy), Chris (Amy), Jennifer (Jeff) Beilfuss and the late Don. He was the proud grandfather of 28 and great-grandfather of 10; dear brother of Pat Bauers and uncle and great-uncle of many. Jack was born and raised in west Garfield Park Chicago and was a member of the 4400 club. A Veteran of Underage Military Service during WWII, Jack enlisted in 1943 at age 15 with his mother’s blessing after the death of his father. After the war, he joined the Army transport service where he worked moving military personnel and supplies around the Philippine Islands. Following the war Jack found he was a born salesman, starting his career in the food business at Borden’s, where he worked for 25 years before leaving to start his own successful food brokerage firm. Sales may have been his profession but Horse racing was Jack’s passion. Jack was able to claim over 60 wins during his 25 years of owning and breeding thoroughbreds after which he would often say : “Winner Winner I’ll buy dinner.” Jack was one of those unforgettable people that never met a stranger. He loved nothing more than to tell stories about his life and about all the great people he met along the way. He was a master at making a connection. If you had occasion to talk to him at the bank, the store, the doctor’s office, the barber, the racetrack, practically anywhere, he would find a person, place or thing that you had in common. He wanted to make you laugh, and he did. Jack enjoyed his life, and so did his family, friends and others he met along the way. Visitation Tuesday, 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Gibbons Funeral Home, 134 South York Road, (½ mile North of Saint Charles Road), Elmhurst. Friends and family will meet for a Mass of Christian Burial Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. at Saint Domitilla Catholic Church, 4940 Washington, Hillside. Interment Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 150 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1550, Chicago, IL 60601. For funeral information please call 630-832-0018 or www.gibbonsfuneralhome.com