In memoriam: Gregory L. Wallace (1954–2013)

Greg Wallace passed away on June 18 after a brief but courageous battle with acute bone cancer. Although his time was cut short at the age of 59, he lived a full and impactful life. Greg was a prominent member of M&A’s Phoenix office staff for 8 years and provided excellent consulting services to our clients, specializing in assured and adequate water supplies and groundwater resources development. Prior to coming to M&A, Greg spent 17 years with ADWR as Chief Hydrologist and ultimately as Assistant Director. Over the years, he advised many state, county, and local leaders on water resource issues affecting all Arizonans. He helped promulgate and/or implement many of the groundwater regulations and guidelines we live under today, including the Groundwater Management Act. During his tenure, the Department received accolades for its forward-thinking programs and became a national model in several areas.

It is a testament to Greg’s important, positive, and often behind-the-scenes contributions to our industry that he is so well known and respected by his colleagues, clients, and adversaries alike. Those benefitting from his guidance and insight include many political leaders, commissioners, attorneys, water resource scientists, developers, agriculturalists, and water purveyors. Everyone could always rely on Greg’s forthright and honest manner of “telling it as he saw it” — and using his broad knowledge of Arizona water resources to provide well-guided and often novel solutions to complex issues.

Greg was a good friend and colleague, and he will be missed greatly. He was famous for his wry sense of humor, which he used to great effect in nearly all of his interactions with people. Those who knew Greg were not surprised to learn that he had dabbled in standup comedy earlier in his life; even bedridden and terribly sick, he managed to brighten the spirits of those around him with his positive attitude, quick wit, and sense of humor.

Greg’s family has announced that a service to honor him will be held Sunday, July 7, at 6:30 pm at the Living Streams Church, located at 7000 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ. They ask that cards or remembrances be sent to P.O. Box 73271, Phoenix, AZ 85050, and that any flowers for the service be sent to the Living Streams Church.