James E. Wallace

The family will receive friends Thursday, April 28, 2022, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Bernstein Funeral Home. Services will be private.

James, known as "Jim", was born April 28, 1948, in Bangor, ME, to parents Ruth and "Whitey" Wallace. He spent his early years in Bangor and his love for the area, the lobster and fresh seafood, the coastal towns, Frank's Bakery, and for his mom, Ruthie, never waned before moving to Athens to attend the University of Georgia on a golf scholarship.

After golf at UGA, Jim had a successful career in the insurance industry and then developed a love for construction and property development. He built many multi-family properties in and around Athens over his lifetime. He also spent many years in Sarasota, FL where he continued to redevelop residential properties in the area before returning to Athens.

Jim had a zeal for life and a never met a stranger. People gravitated toward his conversations and stories and always wanted to talk "business" as his "deal bag" never left his side.

His passion was golf and many days you would find him at the Athens Country Club working on his swing or in his back yard putting on his greens with his son Matt.

As much a Jim loved golf, he loved his children (Jessica and Matt) and grandchildren (Hutson and Sim) more. They were his life and everything he did was for them.

Jim is survived by his sister and her spouse, Jeane and Mark Lepper of San Francisco; his daughter and her spouse, Jessica and Jason Tolbert of Athens; his son, Matthew Wallace of Athens; and his beloved grandsons, Hutson and Sim Tolbert of Athens.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Ruth Wallace, and his father, Whitey Wallace, of Bangor, ME.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Cancer Foundation of Northeast Georgia, P.O. Box 49309, Athens, GA 30604.

Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.