Christine Marion Wallace, 89, sister-in-law to Harry S. Truman and a friend of Mamie Eisenhower, died February 15, 1998 at Briarwood Nursing Home in Denver.
''She just took it for granted,'' said her son, David Frederick Wallace Jr. of Ms. Wallace's relationship with the two families.
''It was a family thing.''
Ms. Wallace was the last immediate family member of the former president's generation.
Funeral Services will be held at 12:00 p.m. today at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Pacific Palisades, California. The body was cremated and will be interred at the church.
Born Christine Marion Meyer on May 18, 1908 in Springfield, Illinois, she grew up in privilege.
''She was a golden girl,'' said her son. ''She was always slightly spoiled.''
Her family moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1920. She attended Zion Academy in Kansas City and graduated from Finch Academy, a finishing school in New York, in 1929.
''She was a glamorous woman in the 1920s,'' said her son.
She married David Frederick ''Fred'' Wallace on July 27, 1933 in Carmel, California. He was the youngest brother of Bess Wallace Truman.
The couple lived in the Wallace family home in Independence, Missouri, which later was designated the ''Summer White House'' by the Truman administration.
At the time, three generations lived in the home, including then U.S. Senator Harry S. Truman and his wife and daughter.
Ms. Wallace and her husband and their two oldest children had rooms upstairs.
''Everyone who lived upstairs had one bathroom, which meant serious family togetherness,'' said David Wallace, who grew up in the house.
Dinner was a formal affair, with Madge Gates Wallace, Ms. Wallace's mother-in-law, at one end and Truman at the other.
''Grandmother wouldn't allow anyone to be a minute late for dinner,'' David Wallace recalled.
In 1942, Ms. Wallace and her family moved to Denver, where her husband worked with the Federal Housing Authority and later, with Temple Buell's architecture firm.
The family also befriended Dwight Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie.
''My mother used to play canasta with Mamie,'' recalled David Wallace. ''We used to see them (the Eisenhowers) regularly with a mutual friend.''
In 1957, Ms. Wallace's husband died, and she began working for the Colorado Highway Department, drawing maps.
''She was a person, who, when push came to shove, would go out and do what needed to be done,'' said her son.
''There was a great pragmatism to her.''
In addition to her son from Los Angeles, she is survived by daughter Margo Richman of Crofton, Maryland; eleven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Published in the Rocky Mountain News on March 7, 1998.
''She just took it for granted,'' said her son, David Frederick Wallace Jr. of Ms. Wallace's relationship with the two families.
''It was a family thing.''
Ms. Wallace was the last immediate family member of the former president's generation.
Funeral Services will be held at 12:00 p.m. today at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Pacific Palisades, California. The body was cremated and will be interred at the church.
Born Christine Marion Meyer on May 18, 1908 in Springfield, Illinois, she grew up in privilege.
''She was a golden girl,'' said her son. ''She was always slightly spoiled.''
Her family moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1920. She attended Zion Academy in Kansas City and graduated from Finch Academy, a finishing school in New York, in 1929.
''She was a glamorous woman in the 1920s,'' said her son.
She married David Frederick ''Fred'' Wallace on July 27, 1933 in Carmel, California. He was the youngest brother of Bess Wallace Truman.
The couple lived in the Wallace family home in Independence, Missouri, which later was designated the ''Summer White House'' by the Truman administration.
At the time, three generations lived in the home, including then U.S. Senator Harry S. Truman and his wife and daughter.
Ms. Wallace and her husband and their two oldest children had rooms upstairs.
''Everyone who lived upstairs had one bathroom, which meant serious family togetherness,'' said David Wallace, who grew up in the house.
Dinner was a formal affair, with Madge Gates Wallace, Ms. Wallace's mother-in-law, at one end and Truman at the other.
''Grandmother wouldn't allow anyone to be a minute late for dinner,'' David Wallace recalled.
In 1942, Ms. Wallace and her family moved to Denver, where her husband worked with the Federal Housing Authority and later, with Temple Buell's architecture firm.
The family also befriended Dwight Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie.
''My mother used to play canasta with Mamie,'' recalled David Wallace. ''We used to see them (the Eisenhowers) regularly with a mutual friend.''
In 1957, Ms. Wallace's husband died, and she began working for the Colorado Highway Department, drawing maps.
''She was a person, who, when push came to shove, would go out and do what needed to be done,'' said her son.
''There was a great pragmatism to her.''
In addition to her son from Los Angeles, she is survived by daughter Margo Richman of Crofton, Maryland; eleven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Published in the Rocky Mountain News on March 7, 1998.
Christine Marion Wallace, 89, sister-in-law to Harry S. Truman and a friend of Mamie Eisenhower, died February 15, 1998 at Briarwood Nursing Home in Denver.
''She just took it for granted,'' said her son, David Frederick Wallace Jr. of Ms. Wallace's relationship with the two families.
''It was a family thing.''
Ms. Wallace was the last immediate family member of the former president's generation.
Funeral Services will be held at 12:00 p.m. today at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Pacific Palisades, California. The body was cremated and will be interred at the church.
Born Christine Marion Meyer on May 18, 1908 in Springfield, Illinois, she grew up in privilege.
''She was a golden girl,'' said her son. ''She was always slightly spoiled.''
Her family moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1920. She attended Zion Academy in Kansas City and graduated from Finch Academy, a finishing school in New York, in 1929.
''She was a glamorous woman in the 1920s,'' said her son.
She married David Frederick ''Fred'' Wallace on July 27, 1933 in Carmel, California. He was the youngest brother of Bess Wallace Truman.
The couple lived in the Wallace family home in Independence, Missouri, which later was designated the ''Summer White House'' by the Truman administration.
At the time, three generations lived in the home, including then U.S. Senator Harry S. Truman and his wife and daughter.
Ms. Wallace and her husband and their two oldest children had rooms upstairs.
''Everyone who lived upstairs had one bathroom, which meant serious family togetherness,'' said David Wallace, who grew up in the house.
Dinner was a formal affair, with Madge Gates Wallace, Ms. Wallace's mother-in-law, at one end and Truman at the other.
''Grandmother wouldn't allow anyone to be a minute late for dinner,'' David Wallace recalled.
In 1942, Ms. Wallace and her family moved to Denver, where her husband worked with the Federal Housing Authority and later, with Temple Buell's architecture firm.
The family also befriended Dwight Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie.
''My mother used to play canasta with Mamie,'' recalled David Wallace. ''We used to see them (the Eisenhowers) regularly with a mutual friend.''
In 1957, Ms. Wallace's husband died, and she began working for the Colorado Highway Department, drawing maps.
''She was a person, who, when push came to shove, would go out and do what needed to be done,'' said her son.
''There was a great pragmatism to her.''
In addition to her son from Los Angeles, she is survived by daughter Margo Richman of Crofton, Maryland; eleven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Published in the Rocky Mountain News on March 7, 1998.
''She just took it for granted,'' said her son, David Frederick Wallace Jr. of Ms. Wallace's relationship with the two families.
''It was a family thing.''
Ms. Wallace was the last immediate family member of the former president's generation.
Funeral Services will be held at 12:00 p.m. today at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Pacific Palisades, California. The body was cremated and will be interred at the church.
Born Christine Marion Meyer on May 18, 1908 in Springfield, Illinois, she grew up in privilege.
''She was a golden girl,'' said her son. ''She was always slightly spoiled.''
Her family moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1920. She attended Zion Academy in Kansas City and graduated from Finch Academy, a finishing school in New York, in 1929.
''She was a glamorous woman in the 1920s,'' said her son.
She married David Frederick ''Fred'' Wallace on July 27, 1933 in Carmel, California. He was the youngest brother of Bess Wallace Truman.
The couple lived in the Wallace family home in Independence, Missouri, which later was designated the ''Summer White House'' by the Truman administration.
At the time, three generations lived in the home, including then U.S. Senator Harry S. Truman and his wife and daughter.
Ms. Wallace and her husband and their two oldest children had rooms upstairs.
''Everyone who lived upstairs had one bathroom, which meant serious family togetherness,'' said David Wallace, who grew up in the house.
Dinner was a formal affair, with Madge Gates Wallace, Ms. Wallace's mother-in-law, at one end and Truman at the other.
''Grandmother wouldn't allow anyone to be a minute late for dinner,'' David Wallace recalled.
In 1942, Ms. Wallace and her family moved to Denver, where her husband worked with the Federal Housing Authority and later, with Temple Buell's architecture firm.
The family also befriended Dwight Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie.
''My mother used to play canasta with Mamie,'' recalled David Wallace. ''We used to see them (the Eisenhowers) regularly with a mutual friend.''
In 1957, Ms. Wallace's husband died, and she began working for the Colorado Highway Department, drawing maps.
''She was a person, who, when push came to shove, would go out and do what needed to be done,'' said her son.
''There was a great pragmatism to her.''
In addition to her son from Los Angeles, she is survived by daughter Margo Richman of Crofton, Maryland; eleven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Published in the Rocky Mountain News on March 7, 1998.
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