Christopher John Wallace, 63, of Dartmouth died at St. Luke's Hospital on November 23, 2024 after a massive heart attack.

 

Christopher was raised in Marion and graduated from Old Rochester Regional High School. He studied architectural engineering at Wentworth Institute of Technology, and went on to design buildings of all types and size in southern New England.

 

Chris lived in Dartmouth with his fiancée Sarah Ketchel in an historic farmhouse, the former home of Noelie Houle, affectionately known as "The Goat Lady." He was enthralled by the history of the property and took seriously his stewardship of it, the creative restoration of which was in many ways his life's work. His particular skills included building old-fashioned stonewalls and creating Victorian-style decorative shingle work. He was the proud owner of an antique Farmall tractor, which he used to cultivate his large vegetable garden.

 

Never able to turn away from an animal in need, Christopher had a special love for his dogs and cats, all of whom were rescues. But most of all, Christopher loved people. He had an affinity for older people and a deep appreciation for their individual stories. He grew in knowledge and spiritual wisdom from the range of people he encountered.

 

Always forward-facing, Chris was filled with hope for the future and eager to bring to fruition his many plans. He was one-of-a-kind, with a quick wit, a wry sense of humor, and a wealth of little-known historical facts. Known for his unique gift giving, Chris delighted in finding one-of-a-kind items for people at antique stores and yard sales. And he was able to make the ultimate gift by donating his liver and kidneys to people in need of life-saving transplants and his heart for medical research so others might benefit.

 

Chris is survived by his fiancé Sarah Ketchel of Dartmouth; his parents Janet and LaVerne Wallace of Marion, MA; brother Gregory Wallace and his husband Craig Sheppard of Seattle, WA; brother Timothy Wallace and his wife Deirdre of Plymouth, MA; brother Andrew and his wife Dawn of Alton, NH; and sister Ann Wallace and her fiancé Konstantin Vail of Jersey City, NJ. He was the proud uncle of a dozen nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his beloved pets: dogs Leah and Tucker, and cats Max, Gizmo, and Nora.

 

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 14 at 11:30am at the Friends Meeting House, 103 Marion Road, Mattapoisett, followed by a luncheon and celebration of life at a local private residence (the address will be provided at the service or people can contact Ann Wallace at annwallace409@gmail.com for info). In lieu of sending flowers, the family would love for people to make a donation in Chris's name to Lighthouse Animal Shelter, the wonderful rescue organization in New Bedford where Chris and Sarah adopted their dogs Tip and Leah.

 

Arrangements are being handled by Saunders-Dwyer Funeral Home in Mattapoisett. For online guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com