Obituary for Edwin Lawrence Wallace
Edwin L. Wallace, of West Medford and Harwich Port, formerly of Winchester, passed away suddenly on July 4, 2020 at the age of 68. He was born in Boston, MA, son of Edwin L. Wallace and Virginia Burke Wallace. Loving husband of Lisa A.(Sullivan). Devoted father of Edwin L. III (Ted) of Los Angeles, John S. and Patrick B., both of Stoneham. Beloved brother of Roberta Cordery of Dedham and the late Jon Wallace. Also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Ed grew up in the Hyde Park section of Boston. He graduated from Boston Tech in 1970 and completed a post-graduate year at Phillips Exeter Academy in 1971. He was a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he played on the 1972 National Championship football team. Following his graduation in 1974, Ed earned an MBA from UMass.
Ed subsequently earned his JD from Suffolk Law School in 1980, where he was President of the Student Bar Association and won the Clark Moot Court Competition, the top honor at Suffolk. Thereafter, he began the career that would earn him a distinguished reputation as a prominent trial attorney and advocate for victims of mesothelioma and other toxic exposures.
Ed’s first jury trial, some thirty years ago, ended in a favorable verdict for his client, a young girl injured in a bicycle accident with a trash pick-up truck. Less than ten years later, Ed obtained the largest verdict in New England in an asbestos case. Seeing the pain and suffering of his clients was very difficult and made Ed want to fight harder for each client.
Over the course of the next 35 years, Ed worked as a trial lawyer. He was former President of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, served on the Board of Governors of the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, the American Association for Justice, and was a fellow of the Massachusetts Bar Foundation. Attorney Wallace also served as a mediator with the American Arbitrators Association and was appointed as Special Master by judges of the Superior Court of Massachusetts.
Not all of Ed’s success came in large legal cases. Numerous friends and relatives benefited from his sage advice, and he never hesitated to help anyone who sought his assistance in any legal or other matter.
In 1985, Ed married his wife of 35 years, Lisa (Sullivan), and the couple raised their three boys in Winchester. There they made many cherished friends. They were members of the Winchester Country Club for many years.
Ed was as passionate about living his life as he was about his career. His three sons were his pride and joy and anyone who knew him understood this. Together, they would spend countless weekends at lacrosse tournaments all over the country. Even after the boys were grown, Ed would go to watch his sons coach lacrosse games and it brought him great joy.
Having traveled around the world early in his career, he was determined to continue his adventures, and Lisa and the boys had many wonderful trips to Europe and the Caribbean, enjoying good food and good fun.
But, Cape Cod was the place that Ed adored most and he spent many summers working at Jason’s Saloon in Dennisport and Thompson’s Clam Bar in Harwich Port. There he made lifetime friendships and priceless memories. Ed dreamed of buying a home on the Cape for many years and when he was ready, he chose Harwich Port. His home, on Oyster Creek, was one of his greatest joys, and he delighted in simply sitting on his deck, enjoying the flowers, his koi pond, and the many friends he could see from his dock.
He loved to get in his car and drive on the Cape, making obligatory stops at Ring Brother’s, Marion’s Pie Shop and the Beachcomber, among others.
A larger than life personality, Ed was blessed with friendships from every phase of his life. These friendships were enduring and he treasured each and every one of them. He had a huge heart and a generous spirit. For the last twelve years, Ed struggled valiantly with Parkinson’s Disease, but he never stopped moving, never admitted defeat, never gave in to his limitations. He went on a fishing trip the week before he died, worked on legal cases and continued to live life fully each day with no complaints. Lisa and the boys worked as a team caring for him and he loved nothing more than being together with them. He will be missed more than we can say.
Funeral services are private due to restrictions. All are welcome to watch a live viewing of the Funeral Mass on Saturday, July 11th at 11 am at the following link https://www.youtube.com/c/saintraphaelparishmedford. The Funeral Donations may be made to: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Grand Central Station PO Box 4777, New York, NY 10163-4777 or https://www.michaeljfox.org/. For online condolences please visit www.lanefuneral.com
Ed grew up in the Hyde Park section of Boston. He graduated from Boston Tech in 1970 and completed a post-graduate year at Phillips Exeter Academy in 1971. He was a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he played on the 1972 National Championship football team. Following his graduation in 1974, Ed earned an MBA from UMass.
Ed subsequently earned his JD from Suffolk Law School in 1980, where he was President of the Student Bar Association and won the Clark Moot Court Competition, the top honor at Suffolk. Thereafter, he began the career that would earn him a distinguished reputation as a prominent trial attorney and advocate for victims of mesothelioma and other toxic exposures.
Ed’s first jury trial, some thirty years ago, ended in a favorable verdict for his client, a young girl injured in a bicycle accident with a trash pick-up truck. Less than ten years later, Ed obtained the largest verdict in New England in an asbestos case. Seeing the pain and suffering of his clients was very difficult and made Ed want to fight harder for each client.
Over the course of the next 35 years, Ed worked as a trial lawyer. He was former President of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, served on the Board of Governors of the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, the American Association for Justice, and was a fellow of the Massachusetts Bar Foundation. Attorney Wallace also served as a mediator with the American Arbitrators Association and was appointed as Special Master by judges of the Superior Court of Massachusetts.
Not all of Ed’s success came in large legal cases. Numerous friends and relatives benefited from his sage advice, and he never hesitated to help anyone who sought his assistance in any legal or other matter.
In 1985, Ed married his wife of 35 years, Lisa (Sullivan), and the couple raised their three boys in Winchester. There they made many cherished friends. They were members of the Winchester Country Club for many years.
Ed was as passionate about living his life as he was about his career. His three sons were his pride and joy and anyone who knew him understood this. Together, they would spend countless weekends at lacrosse tournaments all over the country. Even after the boys were grown, Ed would go to watch his sons coach lacrosse games and it brought him great joy.
Having traveled around the world early in his career, he was determined to continue his adventures, and Lisa and the boys had many wonderful trips to Europe and the Caribbean, enjoying good food and good fun.
But, Cape Cod was the place that Ed adored most and he spent many summers working at Jason’s Saloon in Dennisport and Thompson’s Clam Bar in Harwich Port. There he made lifetime friendships and priceless memories. Ed dreamed of buying a home on the Cape for many years and when he was ready, he chose Harwich Port. His home, on Oyster Creek, was one of his greatest joys, and he delighted in simply sitting on his deck, enjoying the flowers, his koi pond, and the many friends he could see from his dock.
He loved to get in his car and drive on the Cape, making obligatory stops at Ring Brother’s, Marion’s Pie Shop and the Beachcomber, among others.
A larger than life personality, Ed was blessed with friendships from every phase of his life. These friendships were enduring and he treasured each and every one of them. He had a huge heart and a generous spirit. For the last twelve years, Ed struggled valiantly with Parkinson’s Disease, but he never stopped moving, never admitted defeat, never gave in to his limitations. He went on a fishing trip the week before he died, worked on legal cases and continued to live life fully each day with no complaints. Lisa and the boys worked as a team caring for him and he loved nothing more than being together with them. He will be missed more than we can say.
Funeral services are private due to restrictions. All are welcome to watch a live viewing of the Funeral Mass on Saturday, July 11th at 11 am at the following link https://www.youtube.com/c/saintraphaelparishmedford. The Funeral Donations may be made to: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Grand Central Station PO Box 4777, New York, NY 10163-4777 or https://www.michaeljfox.org/. For online condolences please visit www.lanefuneral.com