(1933-2018)
Wallace A. Reichert of Lake City, Florida passed on to return to his Heavenly Father on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at the age of 85. He loved all and was deeply loved in return. Wally was born in Binghamton, NY on July 31, 1933 to Wallace and Bertha Reichert. After graduating from Andrew Jackson High School in Jacksonville, Florida, he graduated with a degree in Art from Florida State University and served 2 years in the United States Marine Corps.
He began his lifetime career in the newspaper business as an artist at the Panama City News Herald. When the paper’s publisher moved to West Palm Beach, Wally transferred to the Palm Beach Post where he advanced from the Art department into Offset Printing and eventually to head of Production.
After 40 years in the newspaper business, Wally retired in 1994 and moved to Lake City to be closer to his family. He became immediately immersed into the community where his contributions are evident today. He was an active member both in the First Presbyterian Church and subsequently at Gateway Baptist Church serving as Elder and Deacon. He was an active Hospice volunteer visiting patients, especially those with military backgrounds, and he also served as a board member with the Friends of the Library.
Wally was a very talented artist primarily in the use of watercolors. He was one of the founding members in the establishment of the Art League of North Florida and the opening of the Gateway Art Gallery in downtown Lake City. He actively taught art classes and coordinated art shows around town, one of which—The Wally Reichert Memorial Art Show—is named in his honor. His own work was awarded numerous prizes at the independently judged competitions and remains on display at the Gateway Art Gallery.
