Jack R. Wallis 3/21/28 ~ 2/20/03 Vernal, UT, Jack R. Wallis, age 74, editor and publisher of the Vernal Express for the past 30 years, passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 20, 2003 at his home in Vernal. He was born March 21, 1928 in Vernal to William B. and Muriel Smart Wallis. He was the eldest of their four children, two sisters, Gloria and Carolyn and a younger brother, Budge. He attended grade school and Uintah High School in Vernal. He finished two years at Brigham Young University when he was called on an LDS mission to the East Central States. After his release from his mission, he continued his education at BYU where he met and married Janet Decker of Snowflake, AZ. They were married in the Mesa temple, Sept. 8, 1951. After graduating from BYU in 1952 in marketing and advertising, the family moved to Vernal where Jack continued his career at the newspaper. He worked as business manager and editor of the newspaper until 1970 when his father retired. For 31 years he was publisher of the newspaper and wrote a weekly column "Jack-Straws" for the paper. He served as president of the Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce and received the Outstanding Public Service Award, twice. He was president of the Utah Press Association 1971-1972, and in 1982 the association honored his with the Master Editor and Publisher Award. Jack was a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in a bishopric, as a stake mission president, young men's leader, president of the High Priest Group and recently finished a ward mission with his wife as his companion. He is survived by his wife, Janet Decker Wallis; two sisters: Gloria Rytting of St. George, UT; Carolyn Winegar, Salt Lake City; brother, William Budge, Cincinnati, OH; five sons Mark, Steven (Tamara), all of Vernal; Neil (Kathleen) of San Diego, CA, David (Kimberly), Diamond Valley, UT; Brian, of Harrisville, UT; and a daughter, Cynthia (Barry) Butler, of Palmdale, CA. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, February 27, 2003 at 11:00 a.m. in the Vernal 5th Ward Chapel. 250 North 200 West, with Bishop Curg Belcher officiating. Friends may call on Wednesday evening from 6 - 8 p.m. at the Spafford Funeral Home and on Thursday from 10:00 - 10:45 a.m. at the Chapel. Interment will be in the Vernal Memorial Park under direction of the Spafford Funeral Home.

Published in Salt Lake Tribune from Feb. 25 to Feb. 26, 2003