Robert (Jerry) Jerome Wallis

March 11, 1932 - June 16, 2026

Have you heard the story? Don't worry, if you missed it, you will have a chance to hear it the next time he tells it. A good sit down with dad was as entertaining for you as it was for him.

Jerry Wallis was born in Spokane, Washington March 11, 1932 where he also attended Gonzaga Prep High School. Two days after his 18th birthday he enlisted into the U.S. Korean war and was sent to the South Pacific where he served 18 months in the Navy SeeBee's Construction Battalion. This experience, among many more, shaped him into the impressive story teller we all knew him as. After his service, he attended and graduated from Eastern Washington University and for many years regularly stayed in touch with former classmates, often meeting for lunch.

Jerry's roots ran deep as the cedar trees in Ione soil. His McCoy family was a significant part of his life growing up, his grandfather owned a cedar post plant at the site of Jerry's first sawmill. His uncle owned a cedar fence post company on Main Street, he worked at Diamond Match at Sullivan Lake and was involved in the construction of Boundary Dam.

In 1969, Jerry married his better half Dorita (Ingalls) Wallis in Spokane, Washington on August 2nd. Soon after, life became as much about raising hard-working, strong-willed children as it did about cedar. Their marriage welcomed four children; Jeff, Suzanne (Suzie), Molly, and Michele (Mikey). High expectations were set for all of them, Jerry made sure none of them were strangers to hard work. Although, the fact that three of his children found careers working for the government did drive him some form of bananas.

Phone discussions with dad were always quick; "How is the family? How many dogs do you have? Can I have just one? Thank you for calling. I love you. Here is your mom." Short and sweet, but so loaded. He loved his dogs, and with certainty the therapy dog that visited him this June is what called him home to the angels.

Jerry lived a very long, rich life. He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert Wallis and Evelyn Evans, and his brothers Dexter and Joseph Wallis. He is survived by his wife of 57 years Dorita Wallis; his sister Katherine Goetzmann; his children Jeff (Pam) Wallis, Suzie (Bart) Beatty, Molly (Eric) Krabbenhoft, and Michele (Bill) Borches; his grandchildren Kaily (Adan) Beatty-Barajas, Keaton Beatty, Sayer Beatty, and Avery Beatty, Lexy (Benson) Huntley and Abby (Kevin) Kresek, Everest (Makylee) Krabbenhoft and Kael Krabbenhoft, Madison Wallis, Hayden Wallis, Hunter Wallis and Sydney Wallis; his great grandchildren Adrian Barajas and Octavia Barajas, Benson Huntley and Bowen Huntley, Chevelle Kresek and Hudson Kresek. As well as many nieces and nephews.

"And here we are." - Robert Jerome Wallis

A traditional funeral mass will be held on June 20th, with a viewing at 10 AM followed by the Funeral Mass at 11 AM located at St. Bernard's Catholic Church in Ione, WA, followed by a reception and then the burial at Metaline Cemetery at 2 PM.