Cornelia Wallace Dies: Former Alabama First Lady

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Former Alabama first lady Cornelia Wallace, who threw herself over Gov. George C. Wallace when he was shot in a 1972 assassination attempt, has died in Sebring, Fla. She was 69.

Wallace's cousin, Melissa Boyen, said the former first lady died Thursday from cancer.

Cornelia Wallace was the niece of two-term Gov. James E. "Big Jim" Folsom. The dark-haired beauty, known simply as "C'nelia," married George Wallace on Jan. 4, 1971 _ just days before he began his second term as governor. It was the second marriage for both.

The union marked a merger between Alabama's two most famous political families and surprised some because George Wallace had defeated Jim Folsom in the 1962 race for governor and the relationship between the two governors had been strained since then.

Born in Elba on Jan. 28, 1939, to Charles and Rubie Ellis, Cornelia Wallace was a socially active first lady known for her lively personality. But for many, the most lasting memory of her occurred on May 15, 1972.

She was accompanying her husband on the Democratic campaign trial for president when Arthur Bremer shot him four times at a campaign rally in Laurel, Md. A news camera captured photos of Cornelia Wallace throwing herself over her husband's body to shield him as he lay bleeding in a shopping center parking lot.

"She's etched in Alabamians' memory because of the tragedy of that," said Joe Turnham, chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party.

William Stewart, a longtime political scientist at the University of Alabama, said he remains impressed by her bravery during the shooting and her loyalty to her husband during his long recovery from the wounds that left his legs paralyzed.

"I don't know if he would have made it without her," Stewart said. "She was totally devoted to him. It was beautiful to see."

Turnham recalled that as first lady, she urged Alabamians to plant vegetable gardens to be more self-reliant. To help her make her point, his father, former state Rep. Pete Turnham, D-Auburn, and others joined her in planting a vegetable garden in the back yard of the Governor's Mansion in Montgomery.

The Wallaces divorced in 1978, amid claims she had bugged his phone in the Governor's Mansion. She entered the Democratic primary for governor in 1978 but never campaigned hard and finished last among the 13 candidates. She later moved to central Florida to be near her sons from her previous marriage.

In 1997, Turner Network Television made "George Wallace" and cast actress Angelina Jolie to portray Cornelia Wallace. The role earned Jolie a Golden Globe award for best supporting actress in a TV movie or miniseries, but Wallace criticized the script for portraying her as a shallow sex kitten.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Survivors include a brother, Charles Ellis of Elba; and her sons, James Snively of Lake Placid, Fla., and Joshua Snively of Winter Haven, Fla.

Comments

[EuroRant1]

Look thar Scarlett ... take one last good look ... that's the Ol' South dying right before your eyes.

(piece by piece, little by little, legend by legend ... and may it rest in peace never to return)

[GeorgeP922]

God Bless America!

[Cmdr UK]

That's too bad, she was O.K., I guess, can't say I remember all that much about her. George Wallace was OK. those days are gone forever, it's all imagery now.

[Rachael78]

good riddance.

[b1rd67]

ditto

[MyGuyO]

OMG, am sorry to hear this news. I remember that horrible day when Wallace was shot.

[Rachael78]

Is this a joke?

[larry278]

The lady will pass through the gate to heaven; she spent her time in hell when she was alive on earth. Rest in peace, dear lady.

[marymansour]

You must know her too. She suffered from many physical and emotional illnesses in her life. She was a wonderful person. She was one of my good friends in high school. I agree with you, rest in peace, dear Cornelia.

[dhfsfc]

Whatever you want to say about Wallace, Cornelia Wallace always seemed like a class act. Sad.

[Golfer59]

And she married Wallace why? Class Acts don't do Class-Less Acts.

[larry278]

There are people who have never lived in the south & never learned to say of dead people, "Rest in peace.". You can do it through gritted teeth even if you hated the deceased. People admire you for your good manners if you speak no evil of the dead & say, "Rest in peace.". God will know that you're lying but he'll forgive you. God is said to like good manners. It couldn't hurt to be polite.
You can always vandalize the grave on dark nights if you really hate the deceased. If you do it at night there's less risk of getting caught. If the deceased was a real louse, you'll have to stand in line to vandalize the grave on some nights. The grave yard & the law may collect a fee too if you vandalize the grave of a noted louse. Times are getting hard. Grave yards & law enforcment agencies always need money too. You too can be hateful & support good causes.

[LITNUP]

Wallace and Byrd ... the face of republican racism... Oh wait

[Mdazes]

Wallace died a Republican. The 60's politics ran the racist Dems to the Republican Party. Byrd got his act together.

[Egalitare]

Wallace never left the Democratic Party. He reconciled with the Black community prior to his last election as Governor in 1982, easily defeating the GOP opponent Emory Folmar.

[NGuarente]

Strom Thurmond marched the Dixicrats out of Harry Truman's
convention in 1948. Thurmond became a Republican in 1964.
Tell you anything?

[mairs]

Yep, there was a shakeout. The Republican party became the face of racism then.

[MsLiz]

George Wallace Jr. is a Republican.

[Terrence0258]

How many times do I have to tell you conservatives. After Lyndon Johnson signed the civil rights act all of the racist southern democrats started to vote republican. Now in 2008 this is all that remains of your party.

[LMPE]

It seems that so many southern women have the exact same hairdo.

[dagnome27]

Yes - so they can take their bees with them while traveling.

[punkingale]

You must be aware that picture is OLD!!!!!

[MsLiz]

You don't live roun heah do you sugar?

[punkingale]

I do and I've never had that hairdo.

[MyGuyO]

It was mainly started with the country music ladies.