Wallace F. Waits Jr

Wallace F. Waits, Jr. passed away at home on April 9, 2023. He was 77 years old. He was born to Nina and Wallace Francis Waits, Sr. in Chickasha, Oklahoma on November 28, 1945. Later they moved to Magnolia, Arkansas. Three brothers completed the family: Jim, Larry, and Tom. While attending the University of Arkansas, Wally married Deborah Arnold. His son Wallace Francis Waits was born on August 1, 1976. His daughter, Misty Lea Waits was born on May 18, 1979. He also has seven grandchildren: six girls: Amanda, Jessica, Kaylee, Adeline, Savanna, and Eleanor, and one boy: Dakota. Wally received his BS in history and later attended the University of North Texas where he received a master’s degree in library science. In June of 1991 he moved to Muskogee, Oklahoma to begin a job as the Local History and Genealogy Librarian at the Muskogee Public Library. He met his future wife, Faye Goff, two weeks later in Sunday school class at St. Paul Methodist Church. He really loved telling the story of how they met, some people have heard it many times. During Wally’s tenure at the library, he expanded the genealogy holdings to among the largest in the state. In addition to using up his book budget, he was skilled at finding books for free at other libraries. He liked both helping people research their family history and hearing their stories. Things Wally loved: Talking to his children and grandchildren, extended family members, and everybody else, bread and butter pickles and all types of sweets, researching his family history, the drum solo in “Wipe Out”, and collecting an assortment of books and papers. His favorite ancestor was his three great-grandmother Rhonda Cope – born in 1800 and died in 1868. She was buried without a headstone. He was so happy when he bought the monument for her grave. Wally’s flaws: being very reluctant to part with those books and papers (and other things as well.). The strategy that worked best with this: “We will donate them!”. He left the cabinet drawers and doors wide open. Whenever he found an open spot on a table or counter, he promptly covered it with books and papers. Living with Wally for thirty-one years was like having a full-time cheerleader. He will live on in the hearts and minds of many. If desired, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Paul UMC, 2130 W Okmulgee, Muskogee, OK 7401, Three Rivers Museum, 220 Elgin Street, Muskogee, OK 74401, or Old State House Museum, 300 W Markham St, Little Rock, AR 72201. A celebration of Wally’s life will be 2PM, Friday, April 14, 2023 at Cornerstone Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Linda Morgan Clark officiating. Interment will follow at Greenhill Cemetery with Bennett Waits, Seth Waits, Tom Waits, Wallace Waits, James Goff and Barry Wells officiating.

Wallace F. Waits Jr

November 28, 1945 - April 9, 2023