Joe Wallace

Joe Derek Wallace, age 92, passed away peacefully in Las Cruces on October 9, 2023, after a short illness. Joe was a patient and compassionate cowboy who will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Joe was born in Canyon, Texas on April 18, 1931, and was raised on a cattle ranch near Tucumcari, NM along with his brother and six sisters. Growing up on the ranch he developed a love of cattle and ranching. He served in the US Navy from 1950 - 1954, initially on a destroyer, the US Tingey DD 539 and with the Seabees, Construction Battalion Detachment 1504 on Guam.

Joe graduated from New Mexico A & M (now New Mexico State University) in 1957. After obtaining his Master’s degree in Animal Science at Texas A & M in 1959, he and his family moved to eastern Oregon where he worked for Oregon State University at an experimental cattle station, Squaw Butte. In 1969, Joe graduated with a PhD from Colorado State University.

In 1970, Joe worked as a consultant in developing cattle ranches in both Australia and Venezuela. In 1971, he accepted a position with New Mexico State University as a professor of Animal Science. During his 21-year career with NMSU, he helped develop the doctoral program in ruminant nutrition, which is now nationally and internationally recognized. Joe loved working with graduate students, assisting them with their degrees and professions. His students appreciated his kind, easy-going manner and admired his patience and ability to share his own experiences. During his career, he received several research and teaching awards from the College of Agriculture and Home Economics, Gamma Sigma Delta, and the Western Section American Society of Animal Science.

Joe was also a long-time member of the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association.

Joe retired from NMSU in 1993. During his retirement, he enjoyed working on his pecan farm near Las Cruces. He was also a self-taught, woodworking craftsman. He put his skills to work building a home near Las Cruces and two homes in Mayhill, NM where he enjoyed many outdoor activities.

Joe was most recently married to Dolores Volkmer Wallace for 20 years, until she passed away in 2020. Joe and Dolores divided their time between Las Cruces and the mountains where they enjoyed entertaining family and friends. In 2016, Joe and Dolores moved to Good Samaritan Village, where they made new friends and enjoyed attending NMSU women’s volleyball and men’s basketball games.

Joe is survived by his son, Wade Wallace of Las Cruces; his daughter, Dana Wallace-DeBeer (Larry) of Yuba City, CA; granddaughter, Taylor Dudas (Brandon) of Oceanside, CA; and great grandson, Sawyer Joe Dudas. He is also survived by five stepsons, a stepdaughter, and numerous nieces and nephews.

His life will be celebrated at St Albert the Great Newman Parish on Friday, November 10 at 10 am, followed by the interment at Hillcrest Cemetery. A Celebration of Life Lunch will be served at the NM Farm and Ranch Museum. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the Joe D. Wallace Endowed Graduate Scholarship at NMSU, ℅ NMSU Foundation, PO Box 3590, Las Cruces, NM 88003 or Mesilla Valley Hospice, 299 E. Montana Ave., Las Cruces, NM 88005.