John C. Wallace, a Long Beach community leader and philanthropist who helped thousands of kids through his support of the Boys & Girls Clubs and Boy Scouts, died Wednesday at his home. He was 94.
“It was just his time; he had many health issues,” Alice, his wife of 38 years, said Thursday.
“He passed away peacefully surrounded by family members and friends,” she added.
Wallace was widely admired in his role as an astute businessman who built Petrolane into a large, diversified petroleum services company.
Meanwhile, he also made a mammoth difference in the community by serving on numerous nonprofit boards, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach, St. Mary Medical Center, Boy Scouts and United Way.
“He was an amazing man who had a passion for giving back to the community,” said Jon Meyer, former member of the Long Beach School Board who spent much time playing golf and going on fishing trips with Wallace.
“He was a consummate gentleman,” Meyer said. “No one could ask for a better friend.”
When poor health kept Wallace from playing golf, he gave his putter to Meyer.
“It was one of the greatest gifts I could have received,” Meyer said. “I treasure it and use it.”
Don Rodriguez, executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach, called Wallace “a legend.”
Rodriguez said: “He inspired all of us, staff, board of directors and kids alike. He made the work we do possible and his legacy will live forever, especially at the John C. and Alice Wallace Petrolane Center on Lemon Avenue. He always went above and beyond to ensure that all the youth in Long Beach, no matter their background or where they came from, had the same opportunities as everyone else.”
Wallace was born on Dec. 19, 1926 in Hollywood, but his family lived in Long Beach, where he went on to attend Poly High School. Like many youths of the day, he left midway through his senior year to join the U. S. Marines, serving in the Pacific Theatre during World War II in 1944 and 1945.
His interest in the then Boys Club arrived at an early age. His father, Carlton Wallace and cohort Maurice Bugbee were successful businessmen in the region. The men shared aa goal of helping at-risk boys stay out of trouble and grow into responsible, contributing members of the community.
With a handful of youngsters, they started the Boys Club of Long Beach in 1939. In 1991, girls were included and the name of the organization was changed to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach.
Carlton Wallace and Bugbee never dreamed that their Depression-era idea would grow into one of the premier youth organizations in the region, reaching thousands of youngsters.
Much of that growth was credited to Carlton Wallace’s son, John. In a video created by the Boys & Girls Clubs, Wallace said he remembered his early days with the organization because of his father’s involvement.
But World War II intervened. After the war ended, Wallace went off to Stanford University where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science and history. As a 1st lieutenant, he was called back to serve as a tank commander during the closing months of the Korean War.
After his military service ended, Wallace started working at Petrolane. During his 36-year career there, he helped build it into a large, diversified company, with company sales growing from $2.5 million to $2.5 billion. Eventually, he was named Petrolane’s CEO and president before selling the company in 1984.
Wallace’s commitment to charitable causes inspired him to support a variety of community organizations.
He helped organize the St. Mary Medical Center Foundation and has been raising funds for them ever since. He served as president of the Long Beach Area Council of Boy Scouts. He was also a founder of Kampgrounds of America.
During his leadership role with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach, the clubs grew from two locations serving 500 kids a year to six clubs serving nearly 5,000 youths.
For all of his work with the organization, the annual DreamMaker Award — presented to an outstanding member of the community helping kids — was named for Wallace and his wife.
“I’m just very proud to have done what I did,” Wallace said in a video last year. “I don’t know how you can do a better job with children growing up than the Boys & Girls Clubs.”
In his spare time, Wallace loved to golf and fish. While on the varsity golf team at Stanford, he competed with such golf legends as Arnold Palmer and Gene Littler.
For much of his golfing life, he earned a single-digit handicap.
“It is true to say that his love for golf was only exceeded by his passion for fly fishing,” his family said in his obituary.
Wallace also was an avid reader. The family said he had 3,000 books at his home when he passed away.
In addition to his wife, Alice, Wallace is survived by his children Jim, Bruce, John Michael, Phillip and Jane Wallace and Jeff and Scott Merrill.
A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Details will follow.
