Joseph "Joe" Wallis

Joseph “Joe” Wallis, 97, of Kent, passed away peacefully on December 25, 2021, at Vista Veranda Assisted Living in Ravenna, Ohio. He was preceded in death by Tera Oletia Wallis, his wife of 69 years who passed away in 2013. The family would like to thank the staff of Vista Veranda and Brookdale Hospice of Cleveland for their wonderful care during Joe’s final season of life. There will be a joint Celebration of Life service held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 9th, at Trinity Church of the Nazarene, 2780 Canton Rd. Uniontown, OH 44685. Visitation with family and friends will follow the service. A private family inurnment will take place later at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman, OH. Condolences can be left on the Hopkins Lawver Funeral Home website (hopkinslawver.com). In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Brookdale Hospice of Cleveland, 3380 Brecksville Rd. Richfield, OH 44286 or to the Employee Appreciation Fund at Vista Veranda Assisted Living, 141 Chestnut Hill Dr. Ravenna, OH 44266. Born in 1924 in Springfield, MO, Joe grew up in northwest Arkansas around Harrison. Oletia was his high school sweetheart and they were married over 69 years. Oletia was born and reared near Harrison, Arkansas. Life was good there on the farm where she learned the value of hard work, unconditional love and family strength. Together they raised two sons, Mike and Pat. Joe was a member of the US Coast Guard from 1942-45 and was an LCVP Higgins boat operator during WWII. He landed on Omaha Beach as part of the Normandy invasion the day after the first wave of troops suffered the loss of 2,500 brave men. We owe much to Joe and thousands of other members of “The Greatest Generation.” Following the war, Joe went into the construction trade, from which he later retired. He also worked for a short while as a Special Deputy for the Portage County Sheriff’s Department. They moved to Florida in 1973 and lived in Lakeland 24 years before moving to Sebring. Oletia was a seamstress and worked at Piper Aircraft Company. Joe and Oletia Wallis are survived by their sons, Michael (Terri) Wallis of Kent and Patrick (Sue) Wallis of Stow; grandchildren, Jeff (Cindy) Wallis, Andy (Kara) Wallis, Jacob Wallis, Abigail Wallis, Neil (Angie) Wallis, Jen Wallis-Walker, Michelle (Jamie) Murdock; 11 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandsons.