Wallace Irwin Nispel

Wallace Irwin Nispel, 78, of Prescott, died Tuesday, September 29, 2005.  He was born September 24, 1927 in Ely, Nevada. Wally grew up in Hollywood, graduated from Fairfax High School and attended Occidental College for two years. He transferred to UCLA, graduating with a BS in Marketing in June of 1953. Wally served as president for one year for the fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon. After graduating from UCLA, he and two fraternity brothers hitch hiked around Europe. When he ran out of money, he was able to get a job in Spain running the motor pool at the SAC base. Wally returned to California two years later and using all of his earnings and bought his first auto, a convertible. Wallace was a member of the Lancers Club in Hollywood, a life member of UCLA?s Alumni Association. Golf Association wherever he was residing, a 12 year member of the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association, Northern Arizona Genealogical Society (NAGS). Wally served in the US Army during World War II. He was a retired Allstate Sales Agent in San Francisco Bay area after 37 years. He also was a red bus driver at Glacier National Park during the summers of 1948 and 1949; they were lovingy called ?Gear-Jammers.? In 1998, they had a 50th reunion of the 1948 ?Gear-Jammers? and have had a mini reunion every two or three years since. The most recent reunion took place the first week in September of this year. Wallace is survived by his fiancé, Colleen Goetzelman, son, Antony W. Nispel of San Jose, CA, daughter, Manette Fiarmont-Ruff (Kenneth) of Senoma, CA, step-son, William H. Hart (Angela) of Houston, TX, sister, Nancy Sawyer (James) of Santa Ana, CA, nephews; Brian (Diane) and Grant Sawyer, cousins; William & Mary Wallace of Cedar Rapids, SD, Arlene & Wolf Drewes of Bethesda, MD, Althea Mohar of Papillion, NE, Eugene Sales of Prairie Village, KO, Robert & Marge Nispel of La Mesa, CA, Barbara Jo & Norman Mundell of Vista, CA, Thomas Grigsby & Sarojini of Arlington, VA, Janet & Howard McCavron of Loveland, CO, William Howard of king, WS, John Des Combes of Denver, CO, Lyle Yost of Hasston, KS and Arnold & Barbara Torgerson of Fort Collins, Co. A Celebration of Life will be held at Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home in Prescott on Thursday, October 27, 2005 at 4:00P.M.