Wallace W. Spracklin

East Falmouth – Mr. Wallace W. Spracklin, of East Falmouth, formerly of Waltham, died Friday March 4, 2011 at Falmouth Hospital. He was 83.

Wally was born in Boston on August 27, 1927, a son of the late Wallace A. and Florence (Broadhurst) Spracklin. He served with the United States Navy as a ‘Seabee’ during World War II. More than 325,000 men served with the Seabees in World War II, fighting and building on six continents and more than 300 islands. In the Pacific, where most of the construction work was needed, the Seabees landed soon after the Marines and built major airstrips, bridges, roads, warehouses, hospitals, gasoline storage tanks and housing. Wally's unit spent the months before the war's end in August, 1945 on the island of Okinawa, the last major battle of the Pacific campaign. After his discharge from the Navy he worked as a foreman for several years for the Raytheon Corporation.

He then went to work as a civilian photographer for the Navy. He worked in the Charlestown Navy Yard and at the Fargo Building in Boston until his retirement. He also worked as a professional photographer in Waltham and was known as ‘Wallace of Waltham’. Wally was also a Mason and a member of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.

After moving to the Cape in 1987 he became a member of Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church, where he enjoyed singing in the choir. While in Falmouth he worked for the Falmouth Enterprise and was also a greeter at Wal-Mart.

He leaves his wife, Catherine A. (Sheehy) Spracklin of East Falmouth, his son-in-law Michael J. O’Brien of Waltham, his grandchildren Stephen J., Daniel W. and James M. O’Brien, his sisters Florence Grant of Canton and Josephine Athridge of Malden and many nieces and nephews.

He was the father of the late Noreen O’Brien and brother of the late Dorothy Murray, Evelyn Fitzpatrick and Phyllis Lang.

Family and friends will honor and remember Wally’s life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), on Thursday, March 10th, from 4 to 8 p.m. and again on Friday morning at 11 a.m. in St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 91 Main St., Falmouth, where his funeral service will be held. Burial will follow in Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne at 12:45 p.m. Friday afternoon.