Elizabeth Ruth (Stadler) Wallace was born on April 23, 1924 in Taylor Creek, Washington. Her family moved to Alderwood Manor, Washington in 1928. She graduated from Edmonds High School in 1942.
Between 1942 and 1949 she worked as a civilian employee for the United States Army in Seattle, Alaska, and Tokyo, Japan. Shortly after her return to the states she met Bryan Walker Wallace and they were married on June 24, 1950 in San Francisco, California.
Bryan was born on February 10, 1916 ten miles south of Connell, Washington. He graduated from Connell High School in 1934, moving to Seattle to attend the University of Washington. Bryan graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree on June 10, 1939 and became board certified by the State of Washington within days. Elizabeth and Bryan lived most of their married life in Mountain View, California.
In 1954 Elizabeth and Bryan opened their store, Bryan’s Drug on El Monte in Mountain View. For a short time they also had a drug store in Morgan Hill. Bryan’s Drug was sold in 1974. Bryan continued to work part-time as a pharmacist until his death in 1989.Elizabeth worked in the drug store with Bryan. Just prior to Bryan’s passing she began working as a travel agent managing and owning several travel agencies in Santa Clara County. This allowed her to travel the world until her retirement in the late 1990s.
Elizabeth Wallace passed away on December 4, 2016 at her home on Marich Way in Mountain View, California. Survived by her niece, Cheri Ryan and extended family, Cheri manages the family trust.
“We wanted to keep Aunt Bette’s memory alive in the community she loved,” said Cheri Ryan. Cheri graciously donated to MVPSF through her Aunt Bette’s trust stating she sees a need for a full-time staffer to manage the affairs of the all-volunteer organization. “My intention is that this donation will make a difference in the lives of all Mountain View residents,” she added.