James Wallace Pace

Mr. James Wallace Pace, age 94, passed away on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at BeeHive of Marion in Marion, MS.  His visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, from 9:30 AM until 10:50 AM at Wolf Funeral Services in Lake, MS.   His services will take place in our Funeral Home Chapel at 11:00 AM.  His burial will follow at Hazel Baptist Cemetery in Lake, MS.   Bro. Richard Goggans will officiate under the direction of Wolf Funeral Services.

James was born to Seth and Carrie Pace the first of five children. He grew up in Lake, MS. And graduated from Lake High School class of 1947.  James knew he didn’t want to be a farmer so he enlisted in the army and after basic training he went to Germany and enjoyed every minute.   He worked hard and rose through the ranks, came back home to Lake and fell in love and married his wife, Elizabeth. He went to Korea and served his country, then back home again to his wife.   And they were off to Camp Hanford, Washington, where they would be blessed with a daughter Betty and then two years later a son Steve.  

 When James went to Germany a second time but Elizabeth and children were right behind him, on a plane first and an ocean liner seventeen days to Belgium.  Mother and her two children boarded a train bound for Germany.   After three years they came back to the States and was stationed on Belle Isle on the river in Detroit, Michigan.  They would live there until 1968, when he retired from the Army after twenty years of service.  

Lake, MS called him home this time to make it home.  He got a job at La-Z-Boy, working second shift in the frame department finally made it to day shift and was eventually over the frame department. He worked there until he retired again after twenty-five years.  There wasn’t enough grass to cut to keep him busy so he went to work for Mr. Garvin at Piggly Wiggly in Newton for ten years or better, then he and Elizabeth moved to Lake Wanita as care taker of the property which had a beautiful lake and camp lodge. He then moved back to Lake where they lived until they moved to Meridian to be closer to their daughter.  Thinking and planning for old age little did they know it wasn’t time yet.  James work at Wal-Mart in Meridian for two years before he would truly retire and go home to cut grass and leaves all year long.  They moved one last time together to Scooba, MS. where they lived until Elizabeth passed in 2018. James then went to Louisiana to live with his daughter until April of 2023, he went to the BeeHive in Marion, MS and loved all the wonderful people there.  They called him Paw-Paw or Pop. He is gone now to be with his wife, Elizabeth and son Steve Pace, grandson, Jim Pace Wolfe; three brothers, Roger Pace, Herman and Thurman Pace; one sister, Ann Graham and many cousins and loved ones that went before. You see my daddy was the last one. God Blessed Him Soo.   

James is survived by his daughter, Betty Cotton (Lonnie) of Zachary, LA; four grandchildren, Jody Jordan (Beth) of Lake, MS, Todd Jordan (Amber) of Lake, MS, Ashley O’Bannon (Michael) of Lena, MS and Stevie Pace (Jacobe) of Atlanta, GA; six great grandchildren; special nephew, Derrick Pace and numerous nieces and nephews.