In Loving Memory of Wallace Grevelding Remembered with love, honored in sorrow
With profound sadness, we mark the passing of Wallace Grevelding, who lost his life in a motor-vehicle crash in the Town of Preble on the night of October 24, 2025. At approximately 10:45 p.m., emergency responders arrived at the intersection of State Route 281 and Preble Road after a Ford SUV and a Ford pickup truck collided. Wallace, the driver of the SUV, sustained fatal injuries and could not be saved despite the response of first responders.
While the Cortland County Sheriff’s Office and assisting agencies — including the Preble, Tully, and Homer Fire Departments, TLC, the Coroner’s Office, New York State Police, NYSDOT, and Ron’s Towing — continue their work to determine the full circumstances of the crash, a family and community are already living with its consequences: a man beloved in life is now gone.
Wallace’s story is not contained in a moment at an intersection. He was someone whose days were filled with the ordinary and sacred patterns of a human life — conversations, commitments, routines, friendships, plans, and the quiet ways people shape the world around them. Long before his name appeared in an incident report, it was spoken in homes, at tables, on phones, and in hearts — as father, friend, neighbor, coworker, companion.
Sudden loss is sharp. It leaves no time for preparation, no final words, no last assurances. It changes the shape of ordinary days. Yet in the midst of shock and grief remain the gifts of memory — the laughter, the wisdom, the favor, the presence that Wallace brought into the lives of those who knew and loved him.
As the investigation continues, our thoughts and deepest condolences go to his family, his friends, and all who now walk through this season of mourning. May those who loved Wallace find strength in one another. May they be afforded privacy, compassion, and care. And may his life be remembered for what it was — meaningful, valued, and deeply loved.
Rest in peace, Wallace Grevelding.
Gone from our sight — never gone from our hearts.
