Judith Kay Wallis

Kay Wallis, age 78, of Vinton, Virginia, died peacefully on July 1, 2022. She was born in Akron, Ohio, to Ruth and Ray Wallis on October 28, 1943. She attended Watson Chapel High School in Pine Bluff, AR, and was graduated from the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville (B.A. in Philosophy) in 1965. For decades, Kay worked for the Hearst Magazine Corporation in New York City and later for Wachovia Bank in Virginia, where her hard work, intelligence, and common sense were greatly valued.

Kay was devoted to the love of her life Richard “Red” Miller of New York. They were married in 1996, when they bought their home in the countryside near Vinton. Kay was preceded in death by Richard in 2020.

She was a fine athlete both in high school, where she excelled in basketball, and at the University of Arkansas, where she was a champion in fencing and tennis doubles. She enjoyed singing and gardening, especially in her beloved flower garden in Central Park, Manhattan. She knew many plants as friends and recognized them on walks. Her character emblemized sensitivity, honesty, loyalty, and integrity. She was generous in spirit and loved her family unconditionally. She adored her many dogs, cats, and horses through the years.

She is survived by her siblings: Barbara Moore of Lynchburg, VA; Flora Foss of DeKalb, IL; and Bill Wallis (Leslie) of Los Angeles; and by eight nieces and nephews: Dan and Marianne Moore; Lee and Jeffrey Foss; and Asher, Beau and Rachel Wallis, and Zara Solava; by her step-daughter Tracy Miller and her daughter, Carly; and by her close friend Kelli Hollingsworth of Glade Hill, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue, where Kay was a volunteer.

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