SALISBURY — While not a teacher by vocation, Wallas Hylton was a teacher throughout his life, leading by example.

Whether it was through his faith, in the field of finances or sharing his outlook on life, Hylton, of Salisbury, taught his children, grandchildren and others who knew him by how he lived.

Both parents were that way, noted Pam Hylton Coffield, as she spoke of her dad who, at the age of 104, passed away Oct. 25 of this year and her mom, Margaret, who died in 2017.

“He and mother both taught by being exemplary parents,” she said. “They both led by example, and that’s the best kind of leader you can have.”

Coffield said that her dad was “a savvy businessman and taught all the kids how to manage money” and he passed along some words of wisdom to his family, many of them dealing with finances.

When it came to stocks, she said her dad would say, “you always wish you had or you wish you hadn’t.”

Speaking of personal finance and life in general, Hylton would tell them “you want to make as much money as you can, and you want to save as much money as you can, and you don’t spend more than you take in.”

The rest, she said, “is leading by example.”

He not only was savvy, but he was dedicated as was seen in his years of service at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, where he was employed for 59 years. Hylton worked until he was 79 and loved both his work and the people he worked with, always having fun with them. And they all loved him in return.

His business knowledge extended to his playing an instrumental role in helping to establish Stitchin’ Post Gifts, which is currently owned and operated by his daughter.

His faith was important to him as seen in his service to the church he attended, Bethany Bible Chapel, which he helped to start. An active member, he served as an elder there as well.

Hylton once again taught by example as Coffield said he was a godly man, raising his family in a godly home. 

“We knew what right was and what wrong was while growing up,” Coffield said.

Wallas and wife Margaret, who were married for 76 years, met in Roanoke, Virginia at a boarding house that Margaret’s mother ran. Coffield said there was a group of friends that did things together and one of those friends told Wallas that “Margaret would take a ring from him if he gave her one.” He proceeded to buy one, give it to her and they were married the next day and then moved to Covington, Virginia.

The couple has three children, daughter Pam Coffield, sons Bill and the late Warren Hylton, along with six grandchildren, one of which is deceased, and 18 great-grandchildren.

One special bond that the family has held has been laughter, another important lesson learned from dad.

Known for his smile, his laughter, his sense of humor and his knack of having hilarious one-liners, Hylton passed the importance of laughter to his family, Coffield noted, teaching them to “have fun, not take self too seriously and be able to laugh at oneself. Just listening to him laugh made you want to laugh.”

Spending time together as a family was important to Hylton as a tradition of going out to eat breakfast together was developed, which became a special event he looked forward to.

Coffield and her brother Billy and both parents, as long as Margaret lived, would go out to eat at either the Waffle House or The Checkered Flag three or four times a week, she said.

They did this for the last 20 to 30 years, and when her mom passed, the tradition continued until approximately October of this year.

Hylton was loved at either place they went, and “he became a huge celebrity there. The waitresses took great care of him. Going was the highlight of my dad’s week,” and my brother Billy and I made sure those mornings out happened.

When asked what words come to mind when Wallas’ name is mentioned, they run the gamut from kind and genuine, thoughtful and faithful to not pretentiousness and concern for others, all qualities that were passed down from his father, Coffield noted.

“He was a great man and a great daddy.”

A full profile on Hylton will be published in the upcoming Salisbury the Magazine which will be released later this month.