Patricia Wallace, 73

DOVER - Maber Ellen Wright, later changing her name to Patricia (Wright) Wallace, of Dover, departed this life Saturday, June 30, 2007, at Delmar Nursing Home. She was 73.

Mrs. Wallace was born Feb. 3, 1934, in Washington, to Reginald Douglas Wright and Julia Gordon-Wright. Patricia was child two of 10, to include Marie, Reginald, Melvina, Mary, Ronald, Margurite, Ralph, Mignon and Mirriam.

She served in the ministry for the past 30 years and often refers to herself as a servant. The Rev. Wallace believed that leaders are born and not made by man. She cited Jeremiah, Moses, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ as supreme examples of what a true leader should be. Although the Rev. Wallace had many achievements in the ministry that God entrusted to her care, she preferred to be introduced as a "born again, spirit filled, called, appointed and anointed woman of God."

For more than 10 years she served as president of the Youth Department of the Interdenominational Fellowship Union of Delaware. She served as secretary to the Ministers Action Council of Wilmington.

Mrs. Wallace hosted a radio talk show in Gonzales, Texas, and produced and directed her own television show in Wilmington.

She correlated and presented many workshops on topics from Church Leadership to Possessing the Mind of Christ.

Mrs. Wallace was a Native American and spoke in numerous church and schools on cultural awareness, always stressing that Jesus said, "and other sheep I have which are not of this fold."

She was the former pastor of Bibleway Word Alive Church in Milford, and the former assistant pastor of Starhill A.M.E. Church in Dover.

When Mrs. Wallace was assistant pastor of Webster Chapel A.M.E. Church in Gonzales, she was the first woman to become a member of the Ministerial Alliance there. In addition, she was the first woman of color to become a member of the state-wide Ministerial Alliance. While in Gonzales, she organized a prayer vigil in response to the inordinate number of boys being murdered in the south. When the local people in Gonzales thought their streets would never be paved, she was instrumental in making it happen, proving them wrong.

Mrs. Wallace was a blessing to everyone she meets and her message was one of love. She firmly believed you must live love, as well as speak it, if you are to be thought of as a child of God. Her advice to each of us was, "go forth, be blessed and be a blessing."

She last pastored at St. Paul A.U.F.C.M.P. Church in Lancaster, Pa., where she did a great work. St. Paul was awarded "Church of the Year" after being under her leadership for only one year.

Mrs. Wallace gave praise, glory and honor to God for all her successes. She raised up a music ministry in 2003 and launched her first CD in the same year where she sang "Amazing Grace" with her daughter, Tia Clarke, a well-known jazz singer.

Currently she was a minister at Christ Care Unit Missionary Baptist Church II under the leadership of the Rev. Earl Fowlkes Mrs. Wallace is survived by her husband, James D. Wallace of Cheswold; her immediate children, Tia Pitcher-Clarke, Tamara Snell-Lee, Jacqueline Snell-Smith, Kevin P. Snell, Michael B. Snell and Donna Marie Snell; 17 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Services will be 2 p.m. today at Bennie Smith Funeral Home, Dover, where friends may view two hours prior. Burial will be private.