Julius B. Walthall Sr.

Julius was born in Salem, VA - a child of Appalachia and the Great Depression. He and his three siblings were raised by their mother, Louise Walthall, in Roanoke, VA. Before graduating from Roanoke High, he met the love of his life, the beautiful and artistic Danny Kate Smith of Charlotte, on a long-distance blind date. Afterwards, he spent many weekend hours hitchhiking from Roanoke, VA to be with Danny Kate.

Julius worked his way through two years at Roanoke College, as a manual laborer, big band musician and overnight bank worker. At the onset of the Korean War, Julius enlisted in the Air Force.

Immediately after Danny graduated from Women’s College (now UNC-G), she and Julius were wed. They made a home in Topeka, Kansas, where Julius served at Forbes Air Force Base and where they bore two sons.

Upon his leaving the Air Force, they moved to Chapel Hill where Julius completed his accounting degree. Returning to Charlotte, Julius joined a prominent accounting firm and became a CPA. Some months later, he joined the Bouligny Company (later part of Rowe Corporation) where he remained for most of his career and served many years as corporate CFO. Late in his career and nearing retirement, Julius ran his own private accounting firm. The health and security of his family was always his primary joy and motivation.

He served for many years as treasurer on various community boards, including Queens University. He also taught accounting at CPCC for a time.

Continually active and loving the outdoors, Julius enjoyed camping, fishing, weekends at the beach or mountains, and the widest variety of outdoor household tasks. He continued to exercise vigorously at least three times weekly until his death. He also continued to operate a computer skillfully, drive his car safely, and text emoji’s expressively. He maintained a lifelong interest in classic Libertarianism, brain science, and cosmology. In his later years he became an avid Panthers and Hornets fan, and studied western philosophy. He remained “sharp as a tack and neat as a pin” to the end.

He loved his sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren and dogs. But his love for Danny was always supreme. His friends and relatives universally admired their obviously deep and loving relationship. For seven years, until her death in 2015, he cared for her during her decline with Alzheimer’s.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Louise C. Henderson Walthall; father, Reginald Muse Walthall; brothers, Reginald “Gene” Walthall and Frank Glen Walthall; wife, Danny Kate Smith Walthall; and son, Ralph Shawn Walthall.

He is survived by his sister, Jennalie Walthall White of Washington, TX; son, Dr. J Byron Walthall, Jr. and his wife Dr. Nancy Teaff of Charlotte, NC; daughter-in-law, Ann Ritter Walthall of Louisville, KY; grandchildren: Julia Caroline Walthall-Eisman (Tom) of Charlotte, Mary Caitlin Walthall of Chicago, Jacqueline Walthall and Shawn Daniel Walthall, both of Louisville; great-grandchildren: Aria Lynn Eisman of Charlotte, and Luna Annaliese Walthall and Ryder Shay Walthall, both of Louisville. He will miss meeting Aria’s baby brother, who is due in July.

A service celebrating his life is planned for about a year from now. Donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.