Walt met the love of his life, Mary K. Cude at Texas Christian University, where he studied geology, then changed his major to studio art. Walt graduated TCU in 1958. He married Mary on November 24th, 1954. They were married 63 years until she passed away December 15th, 2016. They had two sons, Walton H. Cude of Mathis TX and Mark R. Cude of Fort Worth TX. One grandson Blake Bowen. Walt worked as an editor, illustrator at General Dynamics, later Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth from where he retired in 1995.
His wildlife and Texas landscape paintings were shown in many galleries. From 1954 to 1963, he created the illustrations for the cover of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine. His artwork also was printed on glasses, cups and mugs sold worldwide by the Otagiri Company. He worked in oil, acrylic and his preferred medium was water color.
Walt and Mary have many cousins, nieces and nephews, still living in East TX as well as South and West TX. One nephew, John Lacy Gollihar Jr. now lives in New Mexico with his wife Stacia and children.
