Thomas Gilford Wallace Sr.

Tom was born on January 4, 1940 in Hoopeston, Illinois to Gilford and
Eunice Wallace. His father was a railroad man which kept him away
often from his family. Eunice remarried to Winford Bales which joined
two brothers, Jim and Tom, to their new stepsister, Shirley. This new
union also welcomed Tom’s half-brother William “Bill” Bales into the
family.
As soon as the opportunity arose, Tom joined the US Navy and was
stationed in Bermuda and Newfoundland. Oddly, he never set foot on
a ship but served in Naval Aviation until his honorable discharge in
1961.
Before he ended his service, he was gloriously saved at the Indianapolis
Baptist Temple. There, he met and began a sixty-one-year love story
with Carol Wisdom. Surrendering for the ministry, they both enrolled
for training at Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri.

After Pastoring in Illinois and Indiana, the call from beyond came for
them to take the gospel to the mission field. Planning to serve in
Australia, God re-directed them to England. In 1973 they arrived in
London with their daughter, Paula Sue and Son, Tom Junior, to preach
God’s saving truth and plant Baptist Churches. While there, God
blessed the family again with another son and daughter, Timothy and
Elizabeth.
Trailblazing missions in England, Tom was instrumental in starting Bible
Baptist Church in Nuneaton; Kersley Baptist Church in Coventry; Victory
Baptist Church at Upper Heyford Airforce Base; Grace Baptist Church in
Hinckley, and he pastored the International Baptist Church in
Harrogate. He Co-founded the original Baptist Bible College of Great
Britain and was the Director of many Youth camps. Also, he helped
start the first A.C.E school in England, the Coventry Christian Academy.
In 1980, Tom received an Honorary Doctorate Degree for his
distinguished ministry service. Furthermore, he performed Gospel
Magic to teach Biblical truths to children and was for a short time, a
member of the Magic Circle of London.
In 1994, Tom took his family to the Republic of Ireland and pastored the
Boyne Valley Baptist Church and helped establish what is lovingly
referred to as the “Iron Church” outside of Kells. He also had the joy of teaching at the Baptist Institute in Dublin. After forty-seven years of
missionary work, they reluctantly retired and returned to America to be
with his family and to settle in North Carolina.
Tom is survived by his adoring wife, Carol along with his two daughters,
Paula Sue and Elizabeth; his two sons, Tom Junior and Tim. His Five
Grandchildren are: Tiffany Hudson, David Wallace, Maddison Wallace,
Ryan Wallace and Jonathon Wallace. In addition, he leaves four Great-
Grandchildren with two more on the way.