Liane Wallace was a life-long learner, educator, giver, and lover of Lipton tea & Starbucks coffee. She leaves a legacy that inspires and encourages all who knew her.

Having retired as a teacher in New York, she lived >18 energetic, delight-filled years in Southern California – splitting her time with frequent visits to Long Island where Liane died unexpectedly, quietly slipping away as her heart stopped in the middle of the night. One moment she was sleeping, and the next moment she was “present with The Lord”. She loved Him, and was in turn much beloved by all who knew her.

Liane was born on September 13, 1945 in Brooklyn, New York to Scottish-immigrant father Andrew and Irish-immigrant mother Molly. She was the youngest of four, and the last among her siblings to enjoy all that life here has to offer.

She was the first in her family to graduate from college, and she later earned a Master’s Degree in English Literature. She started as a teacher for high school students in 1973 and received wide recognition for both her skill and devotion to her students. Helping others achieve their goals through education was one of Liane’s life-long passions. In her later years she was involved in guiding students to find just the right college for their unique needs and goals.

Liane was a creative, happy and energetic leader, with an insatiably curious mind and an astonishingly wide array of interests. She belonged to a garden club, served for years as Secretary for the Woman’s Club of Hermosa Beach (WCHB), and at times participated in 2-3 book clubs including her favorite, “Le Petite Book Club”. Liane truly loved to read, to grow, and to share what she was learning. “Always carry a good book” was a favorite motto: and she was rarely without one. “Finding Freedom” was one of her most recent.

Liane was also an avid student of The Bible. She came to faith in Christ in her mid-40s after some close years-long self-guided studying, which she began as a skeptic despite her Catholic upbringing. She gradually began to think that it was more logical to believe and to act on what the Bible reveals about who God is, and what is true about humanity, than to remain a skeptic. Her readings of C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters” and “Surprised by Joy” were life-changers. And Lewis’s small volume, “Mere Christianity” – which she said initially sounded dry, but for her turned out to be a page-turner – made things click in her mind.

After she met a scholarly Jewish member of the Woman’s Club, they gathered weekly at Ruby’s Diner, or in their back yards, to compare notes on their chapter-by-chapter study of the Book of Job, and later the Book of Daniel. Liane loved art and music as well, with frequent visits to the Getty, and lots of insights and examples related to art that illuminates the Bible. The past few months, she was reading and writing about the Book of Mark, and was highly enthused about a 2020 stage production of Mark (a 1-man play by actor Max McLean that she had recently found on YouTube).

While Liane was rather selective about sharing her faith in some circles, she believed that faith and goodness are best shown with deeds instead of words – and she lived accordingly. Liane was generous with her time and energy, and her willingness to invest in others. She met even life’s biggest challenges with a calm heart.

She also believed that "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be,” as Lincoln famously said – and Liane chose to be happy: every day. “Have faith. All will be well.” Meanwhile, “Don’t let the devil steal your joy” was a frequent, smiling admonishment to her more anxiety-tended daughter. She loved walks along The Strand, especially from 1st street to the Pier in Manhattan Beach.

Liane’s curiosity was like that of a delightful, energetic child, and she often followed that thread to some new discovery: always finding new music, art, books, and videos on a dazzling variety of topics. As a result, Liane was always interesting – and quite witty. Humor and levity were her constant companions. Yet she could also be very strong, clear-minded and firm. Liane rarely got angry, but when provoked she was strategic and highly effective in her responses.

She led a rich and varied life. Liane traveled widely within the U.S., where her favorite places included New York (Mirror Lake, Lake Placid, and many parts of Long Island), Palm Springs, Scottsdale, and The Rocky Mountains. In Europe she traveled from London to Jane Austen’s birthplace, then on to Bournemouth, Plymouth, Llandudno in Wales, and England’s Lake District: home of Wordsworth and other poets. She also enjoyed a couple of days at Oxford University where C.S. Lewis once held academic positions, and enjoyed a meal at the Oxford pub that was also a favorite of Tolkien and other members of the “Inklings” literary club.

On a later trip to Europe, Liane began with 5 days in Paris, then drove to Avignon, Lyon, St. Tropez, Cannes, Monaco, Milan, Lake Como, Lucerne and Zurich over the course of 4 weeks. She always had something interesting going on, which made her an engaging and energizing person. Her zest for living and learning inspired others.

Her legacy is one of hope, joy, inspiration, and action: A Life Well Lived. Liane leaves quite a library of books, many of which will be treasured, especially her notes and questions in the margins. Others will be donated.

She is survived by her daughter in Redondo Beach, and two sons and five grandchildren on the East Coast. Those who wish to remember Liane in a special way may make a fully-tax-deductible gift (in lieu of flowers or other remembrances, please) to the Woman’s Club of Hermosa Beach, which can fund additional student scholarships, as Liane would have liked. Their direct link can be found at https://givebox.com/womansclu…

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