William R. Wallis, Jr.

William R. Wallis, Jr. 92, of Carbondale, PA, passed away peacefully on June 13th at Clarks Summit Senior Living. 

Born December 6, 1930 in Carbondale, son of the late Raymond and Eva Sutton Wallis, Bill was a lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church of Carbondale. He was a graduate of Benjamin Franklin High School, Carbondale, and Keystone Junior College, La Plume, PA. 

Bill would reminisce about his summers as a boy at Cottrell Lake, where fond memories and lifelong childhood bonds were made. After college, Bill joined the army in 1952 during the Korean War and was stationed at Vint Hill in Virginia as a Radio Operator for the Army Security Agency. It was during this time Bill met the love of his life, Florence Jones. Upon his honorable discharge from the army, Bill married Florence on September 22, 1956, and they have been inseparable ever since. 

Bill worked with his brothers in Carbondale and in 1966 together they purchased Berry’s Home Furniture, which then became Wallis Furniture. Bill, along with his brother Bob and later with his nephew Jeff, owned and operated the furniture store on Main Street for the next 50 years. Anyone who went into the store was sure to hear one of Bill’s jokes before he sold them on a full room of furniture, as Bill believed a person’s home was their castle. Bill was fortunate to work alongside his daughter Lynn at the furniture store for over 25 years. 

Bill was a long-time member of the Scranton Region Antique Automobile Club and loved working on his 1922 Nash Touring car and his 1931 Dodge Eight Sedan. Later in his life, Bill became an ordained Lay Pastor and served the Jessup Presbyterian Church for several years. 

Bill is survived by his wife of 67 years, Florence Jones Wallis. He is also survived by his daughter, Lynn Wallis and husband, Randy; son, William Wallis III and wife, Kristen; 5 grandchildren: Chelsea McDonald and husband Mason, Emily Wallis, Megan Wallis, John Raymond Wallis and Matthew Wallis; and two great-grand-children, Jameson McDonald and Maxen McDonald. 

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Robert S. Wallis and John O. Wallis.

The family will receive friends on Friday, June 30th from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 76 Salem Avenue, Carbondale, PA. A funeral service will follow at 1:00 p.m. Arrangements by the Brennan & Brennan Funeral Home, Inc., 55 Lincoln Avenue, Carbondale. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Carbondale Historical Society, P.O. Box 151, Carbondale, PA 18407 as Bill was an incredibly proud resident of Carbondale, and would happily tell anyone who would listen about how great a city Carbondale really is…

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of William R. Wallis, Jr., please visit our floral store.