Mike Wallace was laid to rest Tuesday in a simple ceremony at the West Chop Cemetery attended by close friends and family. The popular CBS newsman, a longtime Island summer resident, died on April 7 at the age of 93.

Mr. Wallace’s son, Chris Wallace, host of Fox News Sunday, welcomed the small group of mourners including members of the Styron and Buchwald families. Mr. Wallace, author William Styron and humor columnist Art Buchwald were neighbors in what became known as Writer’s Row in West Chop and in later years dubbed themselves the Blues Brothers because they all suffered from depression.

Mr. Wallace was remembered in eulogies sprinkled with love and humor from Donald Brown, Richard North Patterson, Sheldon Hackney, Kib Bramhall and Janet (Gogo) Ferguson. Mr. Wallace’s widow, Mary Yates Wallace, was unable to attend because of ill health, but her daughter in law, Sissy Yates, spoke on behalf of the family.

Rose Styron closed the ceremony, recounting memories of her last visit with Mr. Wallace and reading a selection of poetry, including A Boat Beneath A Sunny Sky, by Lewis Carroll, which is reprinted below.

 

A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky

A boat beneath a sunny sky,
Lingering onward dreamily
In an evening of July —
Children three that nestle near,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Pleased a simple tale to hear —
Long has paled that sunny sky:
Echoes fade and memories die:
Autumn frosts have slain July.
Still she haunts me, phantomwise,
Alice moving under skies
Never seen by waking eyes.
Children yet, the tale to hear,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Lovingly shall nestle near.
In a Wonderland they lie,
Dreaming as the days go by,
Dreaming as the summers die:
Ever drifting down the stream —
Lingering in the golden dream —
Life, what is it but a dream?

— Lewis Carroll