Wallace Birkes

Wallace Birkes, 88, of Amarillo, formerly of Pampa, passed away Wednesday April 21, 2021 in Amarillo

Services will be 10:00 AM Saturday, April 24, 2021 in the First United Methodist Church Chapel with Rev. Rodney Weatherly, pastor at Cornerstone Baptist Church, and Rev. Dr. Jerry Lane, pastor at Community Crossroads Church, officiating. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors.

Mr. Birkes was born April 28, 1932 in Chilton to Dennis and Alma Birkes. Wallace graduated from Chilton High School and Texas A&M University with an architectural engineering degree. He graduated from Officer Candidate School and was commissioned in the U. S. Army. Wallace served in the occupational forces in Aschaffenburg, Germany. He and Darlene were married November 3, 1956 at the University Methodist Church in Austin and she joined him in Germany. She passed away on September 19, 2011.

After his discharge in 1962, he became a field engineer and superintendent for Robert E. McKee Contractors at the post office in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They then moved to the San Francisco area where Wallace worked for the VA Hospital addition, the La Canada and Oakland Colleges, and the Marin County Civic Center designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

He moved with his family to Pampa in 1969 and worked for Wiley Hicks, Jr. Contractor of Amarillo. Wallace supervised the construction of the Pampa High School Vocational Building and Music Building. He was an inspector in the tri-state area for BGR Architects of Lubbock and farmed East of Pampa.

He served as President of the Pampa ISD Board of trustees, chairman of the Soil and Water Conservation Board for 10 years, member of the Gray County Tax Appraisal Board of 16 years, First United Methodist Church administrative board and the Methodist Men.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Dennis and Alma Birkes; all five siblings, daughter-in-law Johnna Birkes, and grandson Travis Smith.

Survivors include his daughter, Cheryl Smith and husband Mike of Pampa; a son, Dean Birkes and wife Stacie of Amarillo; four grandchildren, Clay Smith, Lexi Summers, Jake Birkes, Andy Birkes, Hanna Brainard, Abbie Brainard, and Landry Brainard.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 201 Foster, Pampa, Texas 79065 or Harvest House, 736 S Cuyler St., Pampa, Texas 79065.