LAKEVILLE — Joan H. Wallace, artist, political activist, and long-time resident of New York City and the Northwest Corner died at home in Lakeville, at age 93, on Oct. 30, 2024.
Ms. Wallace, née Joan Elaine Hochstuhl, was born in 1931, the daughter of Elsie Wibben and Ernest Hochstuhl, both the offspring of German immigrants. Much of her childhood was spent in Syosset, Long Island with a couple of years in the Adirondack town of Bloomingdale where she sought relief from severe childhood asthma. She attended secondary school at Friends Academy in Locust Valley, New York, and received an associate degree from Lasell College.
Fresh out of college, Ms. Wallace moved to New York City where she worked in public relations for The New Yorker magazine and dabbled in creative writing. A couple of her stories were published in Esquire magazine, something viewed by her parents as scandalous for a young lady. In 1956, she met a young engineer, George A. P. Wallace, and they married in 1957, had three children, and remained together for 54 years, until Mr. Wallace passed away in 2011.
Although Ms. Wallace returned to work in public relations for the Museum of Modern Art during the 1970s, she was above all an accomplished artist and lifelong student of art, specializing in oil painting, drawing, pastels, and photography. In New York City, she studied art history at Columbia University for three years, completed a four-year certificate program at the Art Students League, two years of study in composition and art analysis at the National Academy School of Fine Arts, and studied advanced photographic and darkroom techniques at the New School-Parsons School of Design. At one time, six mural-sized versions of her New York City cityscape photographs were on permanent exhibit in the New York City headquarters of Blue Cross Blue Shield. Her work was shown in various galleries and exhibits, and she sold works to private collectors.
Ms. Wallace and her husband were active art patrons during their time in New York, as well as the brief years they were residents of Portland, Maine, Boston, Massachusetts, and finally in the Northwest Corner where they lived permanently from 1998 onwards. In addition to fine arts, they supported theater, opera, and early music. Ms. Wallace was passionate about politics, the positive role of government, and a firm believer in active participation in the democratic process. She worked on several political campaigns, notably those of John Lindsay for mayor of New York City and Hubert Humphrey for president, including hosting campaign events in her home. She encouraged her children to also volunteer in political campaigns. Ms. Wallace was an ardent feminist and early supporter of National Organization of Women (NOW) and worked steadfastly on their behalf for many years. She was also a devoted pacifist and threw herself into opposition of the Vietnam War, including helping to organize the huge New York City march in October 1969 that made up part of the national Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam.
Certainly, a highlight of her life was her fascination with Italy, including its long history, art, architecture, religious evolution, and present-day society. In 1988, she and her husband purchased a property in the medieval hill town of Casole d’Elsa. Together they renovated the house, a slice of the wall built in the 11th century with the village on the inside and sweeping views of Tuscan farmland on the outside. Their many trips to Casole were the springboard for extensive travels in Italy, Greece, Turkey, many friendships, and a window into the rather frenetic, but wonderful, chaos of present-day Italian society.
Philanthropy was important to Ms. Wallace and, in addition to her support for the arts, she and her husband supported many national and local environmental organizations, including Salisbury Land Trust, Sharon Audubon, Appalachian Mountain Club, American Bird Conservancy, and Sierra Club.
She is fondly remembered by her family and friends as an active conversationist, an avid reader, and one who was always sensitive to the beauty around her. Ms. Wallace is survived by a son, George E. Wallace of Salisbury, a daughter, E. Ainslie Wallace of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and eight grandchildren, four of whom are the offspring of her daughter Elaine who passed away in 2019.
A private memorial service is planned. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Union of Concerned Scientists either via their website at www.ucsusa.org or by mail to Union of Concerned Scientists, 2 Brattle Square, Cambridge, MA 02138.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
Photo by Graham Corrigan
