Louise and Wayne wanted a big family (especially Louise). After first son Darrell in August of 1951, they added five daughters in a row! Jeanne (March 1953); Aleta (November 1955); Neva (July 1956); Joy (June 1958) and Ann (May 1961). Eldest son Darrell had so many little sisters, he was thoroughly frustrated. Finally, in August 1964, just a few days after Darrell's 13th birthday, brother Dale arrived. Dale was soon nicknamed "Tiger" and was well worth the wait.

The family moved in 1960 from a small home on Juanita Point, to a 3 acre farm on Finn Hill, where they stayed until Wayne and Louise retired to the Roslyn/Cle Elum area. 

Mom was introduced to Wayne Wallace at a community dance in Everett, by mutual friends Len and Lena Rochon. Wayne was an auto mechanic working long hours to keep his small gas station in business. He had grown up in Snohomish on a dairy farm in the Marsh area along the Snohomish River. Her petition to marry outside the Catholic Church was declined, and so they made the decision to elope. She knew he was a good man and would be a good father to her future children. She was right! 

Soon after they were married, Wayne was drafted into the US Army, and sent to serve in the Korean Conflict. Their first child, Darrell, was born while Wayne was away at war.

As a young woman, Louise worked as a nurse's aide at Providence Hospital and later in sales at a music store in Everett. She lived for a time with her brother Butch (Clarence) and sister-in-law Flora, after leaving the family home. During this time, she spent a lot of time socializing with friends, going to dances, and arranging for rides so she wouldn't have to walk to work. The Charleston was her favorite dance.

Years later, during Wayne's retirement, Louise trained to become a Reflexologist, and practiced at a local salon. 

When Louise was 13, the Simmons family moved from Nebraska to Washington, and lived on High Street in Everett. John took a job at the shipyards, and Josie took in boarders to help pay the bills. Louise met Joanne Holmstrom, later Wiseman, at school and they became forever friends. 

Louise was born in Valentine, a small town in Cherry County, in the Sandhills of Northern Nebraska. Both her parents were homesteaders. Her mother, Josephine Nollett, started her claim at age 18. Josie was an energetic woman who loved to cook, and made a living in those early days by providing meals for threshing crews. The neighboring claim was owned by John Simmons, well known for his hunting skills and musical ability. When Josie wanted company, she would hang a red hankie in an upstairs window where her neighbor could see it. Eight years later, they married and started a family. Pictured here, her older siblings: Butch, Gertie, Harold, Esther, and Clem.

Louise's earliest memory (at about age three) was of a tornado at their farm in Valentine. She and her siblings ran to the cellar, while her mother ran to gather a flock of chickens and brought them to shelter. It was frightening to a small child, and the sound made her think of bags of potatoes being emptied on the roof. The funnel barely missed the Simmons home; their neighbor's barn was destroyed.

Her best friend in school was Norma Jean Schroeder, later Keech. They remained close friends throughout her life. The Keech family drove out to Washington in 1962 to see the World's Fair with the Wallaces, and Louise and Wayne often visited friends and family in Valentine over the years.