Richard Allen Walters

Richard (Dick) Allen Walters, age 81 died peacefully at Cedarbrook Senior Living on November 1, 2021. Dick was born on May 4, 1940 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Richard and Anita Walters. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English from St. Theresa College, in Winona, Minnesota, where he met the love of his life, Diane. After graduation in 1962, he and Diane went to Seattle to look for work. He was hired by an Aluminum Siding Company as a bill collector and married Diane later that year. The young couple eventually moved back to Dick’s hometown of Chicago and then to Detroit in 1968 for Dick to begin his career in the wood flooring business working for Tibbal’s Flooring as a branch manager. In 1983, Dick and Diane purchased Erickson's Flooring & Supply Company currently located in Ferndale and four other locations in the Midwest. For 30 years, Dick established himself as a successful businessman in the community as the owner of Erickson's Flooring & Supply Company with his wife, Diane. Employees of their company consider Dick as a humble leader and would often hear him share that his humble role in the business was the 3rd floor warehouse manager or floor sweeper.

Dick’s passion was hunting, fishing on Lake St. Clair and collecting decoys. For a time, Dick served as the President of the Great Lakes Fish Decoy Collectors and Carvers Association. He also curated and judged many carving shows throughout the United States to promote and preserve the tradition of fish and duck decoys as a notable and collectible art form. Dick held a yearly charity auction of fish and duck decoys on the first Saturday in December at his place of business. The auction benefitted the Old Newsboys Goodfellows of Detroit-No Child without a Christmas.

Dick is survived by his four children, Tony Walters (Suki VanderMaas), Joan Walters (Eric Griffin), Patrick Walters (Debra) and Rick Walters (Tara); ten grandchildren, Bill Walters (Jode Michael) , Christian Bierkamp, Kelly Maheu (Gerrit Duys) , Rich Long, Kyle Walters, Halima Walters, Kristianna Walters, Aliya Walters, R. Aidan Walters, and Ashalina Walters; his siblings; William Walters (Carol Ann), Ann Walters Powell and Carole O'Brien (Rick Gable); nine nieces and nephews; Sean, Tiffany, Lauren, Dustin, Ryan, Jonathan, Meg, Lexi and Colin; and two first cousins Nancy and Kate.

Memorial visitation will be held Thursday, November 18th from 2pm to 8 pm at the A. H. Peters Funeral Home, 20705 Mack Avenue at Vernier Road in Grosse Pointe Woods. A mass will be celebrated on Friday November 19th at 10:00am located at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 467 Fairford Road at Morningside in Grosse Pointe Woods. In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions be made to one of the following: Capuchin Soup Kitchen of Detroit, Dementia Society of America, or The Old Newsboys' Goodfellow Fund of Detroit.