Darrel passed away on October 12, 2025 after a short, but excruciating painful bout of multiple myeloma.  Darrel Dace Wallace was born May 4, 1945 in Salem, Oregon to Dace and Aletha (Wilkinson) Wallace.  He grew up in and around the Salem area.  His early years were on the farm in Aumsville, Oregon where he spent many hours with his dad.  Unfortunately, his dad died when he was a young boy, but left Darrel with many fond memories of him.  One of his fondest memories is the nickname his dad had for him, Manny, as he always called him "my little man".

Another important lesson his dad taught him was a strong work ethic.  From the time he was eight years old he worked picking beans in the summer to earn money for school clothes.  At the age of 15 he got his first full time job working as a box boy and, later on, as a checker for Mayfair grocery store in Salem.  After graduation in 1963 he worked at the Salem newspaper, The Statesman Journal, engraving pictures on a Fairchild picture engraving machine to go into the paper.  Later he became the second police cadet hired for the Salem Police Department's new Police Cadet Program.  Not fond of the hours spent working in the City's jail, he left the police department in April 1964 and went to work for the Oregon State Highway Division.  He moved to Ashland, Oregon working in the Engineering Department where he worked building the I-5 freeway over the Siskiyou Mountains to the California line.  In March 1970 he went to work for the Jackson County Engineering Department in Medford, Oregon as the Inspection Supervisor and Code Enforcement Officer over road/bridge construction and utility installations in the county rights-of-way.  The department moved to the Jackson County Public Works Department in White City, Oregon and he worked there in that same capacity until his retirement in March 1998.  After he retired from the Public Works Department he worked part time for the Jackson County Sheriff's Department as a Security Officer at the Jackson County Court Complex.

On October 22, 1977 he married Sherryll Smith.  They shared many adventures together and enjoyed taking their vacations at the Oregon coast.  After she retired in 2004, they moved to Iowa near where his folks were born and raised.  They bought a small acreage where he spent his days raising calves and farming.  The biggest smile he had was when he was on his tractor!

He had many hobbies.  In his younger days, he hill climbed with his motorcycle and played slow pitch softball.  He loved to garden and keep his place looking nice.  He loved to read and spend time searching the web on his computer.  And, he loved his pups … they were his babies!

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister and brother-in-law Veneta and Burl Pemberton; his brother Olin; and daughter Lauree Sanders.  He is survived by his wife, daughter Sherry Lassen and several grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

He loved the Lord and was a strong Christian.  There will be no service per his request.  In lieu of flowers, memorials in memory of Darrel may be given to Taylor House Hospice in Des Moines.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.  --- 2 Tim 4:7