Wallace Detering
Age - 100
December 5, 2023
Wallace Glen Detering was born December 29, 1923, and passed away November 27, 2023, at the age of 99. 9 yrs. old, 33 days before his 100 birthday. His parents were Alfonse and Elsie (Paeschke) Detering of Harrisburg, Oregon. He is preceded in death by his wife Roberta, July 2021. Three months after Wallace was born. His mother died from an infection and the measles. He and his older sister Elinor were raised by their grandparents, William and Julia, in a house less than 1/2 mile from where he currently lived. He says he was born into the depression, but didn't really know life any different. "I knew we weren't rich, but I never really thought about being poor either. We always had taters in the cellar, produce from the garden, the stuff we canned and dried, chickens, and milk from the cow, and don't forget there was always the "king's deer" available. In 1928, his grandfather died and at the tender age of 5, Wallace became the man of the house. He chopped and piled wood in the woodshed, split kindling, pumped water for the washing, fed the pigs, took care of the chicken's and helped tend the garden. Because he had so many responsibilities, he didn't have time to study, and struggled in school but he still enjoyed going to school and making friends. When he was 6 1/2 , he and his sister were playing ball, using a file as a bat. Wallace pitched a tennis ball, and Elinor swung, the file came loose from the handle and him in the eye. The damage was permanent and Wallace learned to navigate life with one eye. Maybe that was why he was a crack shot and could drive the planter tractor as straight as todays auto steer tractors with G. P. S. At age 7, Wallace had to start milking the cow. He was about age eleven when he first heard about tractors and electricity. As a high schooler and possible earlier, his jobs varied from raking hay, pulling weeds, picking fruit, hops and beans to cutting rhubarb and asparagus, cultivating crops and cutting up seed potatoes. Wallace drove draft horses in the field and plowed with horses. He always talked about Old Mage his favorite draft horse. He started with a 4-H garden project, and still planted and cultivated a garden till he was 98. He always shared his bounty with his neighbors and friends. Wallace ran a trap line during his youth to earn spending money. He was drafted during WW II when he was 18 yrs. Old, but was rejected due to his blind eye. He attended Oregon State University for 2 years majoring in horticulture, from 1942- 1944 before coming back to the family farm, where he spent the rest of his life, a farmer. In 1948, He, along with his dad and a couple of uncles, went on a 3-month hunting/fishing trip to Alaska. After they got back, Wallace headed to Arkansas to visit Roberta Casinger (later to be his wife) and her family, whom he had met when they came to work for his dad on the farm. Wallace and Robert were married on December 31, 1949, 2 days after his 26th birthday. After Electricity was first Introduced in the area, the farm scene changed with the availability of irrigation. Cannery crops were grown for Eugene Fruit Growers which later became Agripac . Corn, Beets, carrots, Beans and Rhubarb, other seed crops and peppermint, were the main crops. The Filberts and Walnuts froze out during the 1972 freeze that was -12 for almost a week, which was another factor that changed the look of the landscape on the farm. Row Crop farming took a lot of labor and Wallace employed many youth, from grade school threw high school in the local area to work on the farm all summer, weeding and moving pipe. He was community minded, being an active member of the Harrisburg Christian Church, school board member of Wyatt School, board member of Agripac and Oregon Filbert Commission. Wallace also led the local 4-H equine club for a few years. Wallace and Roberta had three children, Steve, Julie and Pam. Steve (wife Rochelle) of Mattawa WA, daughters Julie of Harrisburg OR and Pam (husband Russell) McCullough of Ione OR. Four grandchildren Katie Dobson, Sandy Palmer, Travis Detering and Tyrone McCullough and 10 great grandchildren. His favorite people were all his grandchildren. Wallace and Roberta did a lot of traveling in their retirement years. They toured the united states, New Zealand, Australia, Alaska, Hawaii, Panama and the outback of Oregon extensively. At the ripe old age of 99. 9 yrs. Old, just 33 days short of 100. (we should give him credit for almost being 100. He had a LOT of stories, a tremendous store of wisdom, and unbelievable work ethic to pass along. If you have memories or stories of this man, feel free to share them with the family and friends. And hold them dear to your heart and soul to treasure them always for the incredible man that he truly was. Services will be Saturday Dec 9, at 10. 30 am at the Harrisburg Christian church. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Harrisburg Christian Church.Show more
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