Obituary of William Wallace Sears

William Wallace (Wallie) Sears, a prominent and much decorated local journalist and columnist, passed away on February 22, 2024 at the Sackville Memorial Hospital. He was 95.

Wallie was employed for 35 years with the Sackville Lab of the Animal Diseases Research Institute as a laboratory technician and it was during this period he refined his writing techniques. For 60 years his columns appeared regularly in all the daily newspapers in the Maritimes as well as the local Tribune Post. 

Because of his passion for the media, Wallie was awarded national, provincial and regional honours time after time.  He received the Fred Scambatti Award from the CIAU and another from the National Basketball Coaches Association of Canada.  In 1990 he was honored when presented with the Charles Frederick Allison award from Mount Allison University for outstanding work and contribution to the university and was named a Paul Harris Fellow by The Rotary International Foundation.  Additionally, he was twice named Sackville’s Citizen of the year, twice inducted into the Sackville Sports Wall of Fame, and made a life member of numerous organizations in which he assisted in founding, including the Sackville Minor Football and Basketball Associations, and the Tantramar Education Foundation.  He received the David Jardine award through Mount Allison Football and received recognition from many organizations such as NB Swimming and the Lions Club, to name a few.

Wallie was born in Sackville in 1929 and received his early education at nearby Centrevillage, later moving to Sackville where he graduated from Sackville High School and then went on to Mount Allison where he received a Business Administration Diploma in 1946. After retirement, Wallie and Norma travelled extensively in the Caribbean and Florida, across the southern and western US. He was a lifelong active member of the Sackville United Church where he sat on many committees.

He is survived by his daughters, Janet Moses and Paula (Bernie Conroy); his granddaughter, Keeli, as well as by countless other special family and friends..

He was predeceased by his parents, Harley Reginald Sears and LuLu Gene (Gourley) Sears; his wife, Norma Lamkey in 2021; his son, David in 1975; his daughter, Karen in 1983, as well as by his son-in-law, Mike Moses.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Erin Campbell and the staff of Campbell’s Funeral Home, Sackville (506) 364-8188. Visiting hours will be held at the funeral home on Saturday, February 24, from 4-8 pm. The funeral service will be held on Sunday, February 25, at 2 pm at Sackville United Church, Rev. Lloyd Bruce officiating. The funeral service will be live-streamed on the Church’s Facebook page, Sackville United Church, as well Ducky’s Pub will be hosting a live stream of the funeral at 2 pm and folks are invited to gather at Ducky’s, as there will be limited room at the church.

If desired, donations in his memory may be made to Open Sky Co-Operative or Sackville United Church.