Services for Ashley Shane Wallis, of Washington, D.C., are 11a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23, at Riverwood Family Funeral Services withinterment at the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Cemetery in BogueChitto.

Visitation is Monday from 5 until 8 p.m. at the funeralhome.

Preceding him in death were his grandfathers, Ernest Avants, ofBogue Chitto, and Paul Wallis, of Baldwin City, Kan.

Survivors are his mother, Elizabeth Wallace and husband, Jerry,of Bogue Chitto; his father, Mickey Wallis and wife, Denise, ofRidgeland; his daughter, Morgan Grace Wallis; and his son, BraxtonRials Wallis, of Brookhaven; his brother, Todd Wallis and wife,Jennifer, and nephew, Brady, of Saucier; and his grandmothers,Gladys Burns, of Bogue Chitto, and Virginia Wallis, of BaldwinCity, Kan., as well as his extended family and many friends.

Pallbearers will be Ronnie Killingsworth, Jeffery Little, GlennAvants, Jason Avants, Nathan Avants, Joe Burns and DavidAvants.

Shane entered this life on a beauty snowing morning inTuscumbia, Mo., on Dec. 28, 1975. Later, his family moved theirhome to Bogue Chitto. He attended Enterprise School and was a 1994graduate of Brookhaven Academy and Copiah-Lincoln CommunityCollege. His love for British literature and the theater led him toa Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of SouthernMississippi.

He was a teacher, musician, singer and songwriter. Shane hadstars in his eyes, a dream in his heart and the audacity to pursuethat dream. He left the security and quietness of Mississippi forthe stages of West Virginia, New York and Washington, D.C. He had apassion for his work, and in time, became a master carpenter fortheater sets, a fight choreographer and a skilled actor.

He performed with such prestigious theaters as the FolgersTheater, the Looking Glass Theater, the Shakespeare Company,Baltimore Shakespeare Theater, the American Century Theater andSignature Theater. His talents were simply amazing. To say he was afree spirit is an understatement.

Sadly, on Dec. 18, on a highway in Baltimore, Md., Shane exitedthe stage for the last time. He did not leave us empty-handed; heleaves his legacy of two beautiful children, Morgan and Braxton. Heleaves memories that are priceless. He leaves us with a song in ourheart.

Shane’s favorite proverb says, “… a merry heart worketh goodlike a medicine.” He would want us to be merry in spite of hisleaving. And so it will be … in due time. We miss youalready.