It is with both sadness and joy that we announce the passing of our beloved wife, mother, and Mimi, Dr. Elizabeth Ann Ellis Wallace, 76, on Monday, September 1, 2025, at her home in Comanche, TX.
Born on June 13, 1949, in Crane, Texas, Elizabeth was the daughter of Ray and Ann Ellis.
During high school, Elizabeth dedicated her life to ministry, not knowing at the time what that might entail. Following high school, Elizabeth attended Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, where she met and married her husband, Alan Wallace. Ever the student, she went on to earn a Master of Music in Piano from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a PhD in Piano from Texas Tech University. After completing her doctoral studies, Elizabeth fulfilled a lifelong hope by returning to her beloved alma mater, Howard Payne University, to teach piano. She remained at HPU for the duration of her career, serving in her own full-time ministry as a teacher and mentor to her students for 31 years. She was a fantastic performer and educator, pushing students to their full potential and holding them accountable while encouraging them, opening her home to them, and praying for and with them.
In addition to serving at Howard Payne, Dr. Wallace served every church to which God called her and Alan. Throughout their ministry together, she served as the church pianist, children’s choir director, asst. youth choir director, and Bible study leader.
Dr. Wallace was also Momma and Mimi. She loved spending time with her children and grandchildren, whether on simple shopping trips or traveling together to New York City, Niagara Falls, and Colorado, or gathering around her table to enjoy her quiche and gumbo (favorites of the grandchildren) and play games. She looked forward to their visits and phone calls, especially during the holidays which were filled with the family singing with her at the piano. She was incredibly proud of her family and made each of them feel very special, important, and loved. This was evident in her consistent encouragement to dream big while praying that each would seek and trust God’s will for them.
Dr. Wallace is preceded in death by her parents, Ray and Ann Ellis, her mother-in-law, Juanita Wallace, brother-in-law, Miles Wallace, and her sister-in-law, Ruth Wallace. She is survived by her husband, Alan Wallace, her brother, Ross Ellis, her children, Elisa West (husband, Clay) and Jesse Wallace, her grandchildren, Kyler West (wife, Holly), Maryn West (fiancé, Chris), Sydnee Dyess, David Wallace, and a great number of family members, friends, and students who loved her dearly.
A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, September 6, at 11:00am in Grace Chapel on the campus of Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas. A visitation will be held from 6 to 8 PM at Heartland Funeral Home in Early on Friday September 5th. A luncheon will follow at 12:00pm in the Bullion Suites, located in the Mabee University Center at HPU. Interment will follow at the Democrat Cemetery, 855 FM 218, Mullin, TX 76864.
Online condolences, memories and tributes can be made to the family at www.heartlandfuneralhome.net
