Walter Maguire

Walter immigrated to the United States when he was seventeen years old. He worked as a cabinet maker in Saint Louis, Missouri until enlisting in the US Air Force, on April 4, 1949. His first posting was Warren Air Force base, Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Elizabeth (Betty) Ahearn of Lismore, Ireland was introduced to Walter at an Irish dinner in Saint Louis. They went on a few dates before Walter was transferred to Travis Air Force Base, California. Betty accepted Walter’s long distance marriage proposal and they were married at St. Vincent Ferrer Church, Vallejo, California on April 11, 1953.

In 1968, when he was 38 years old, he received orders to deploy to Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Vietnam. After 13 months his tour was complete and he returned home to McClellan Air Force Base, North Highlands, California. For his service in Vietnam, he was awarded The Bronze Star Medal and The Meritorious Service Medal. He retired at the rank of Senior Master Sergeant on June 30, 1972 after 23 years of service at Richards-Gebaur AFB, near Kansas City, Missouri.

He and Betty decided to live in O’Fallon, Illinois. He became the building manager for First Illinois Bank, East St. Louis Illinois. After Betty passed, Walter retired to Pensacola, Florida, to spend time with his retired Air Force friends. His hobbies were travel, woodworking, gardening, boating, and walking on the beach.

He was loved by many and will be missed greatly.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Elizabeth (Betty), nee Ahearn, Maguire; parents, Bernard & Nora, nee Freeman, Maguire; and siblings John Maguire, Mary Stone, Margaret Delia Weber, Michael Maguire, Nora Reilly, Doris Collins, and Justin Maguire.

He is survived by his children; Walter (Karen) Maguire of San Antonio, Texas, Ann (Alan) Pearson of St. Jacob, Illinois, Brian (Suzanne) Maguire, of Belleville, Illinois, and Mary Maguire of Princeton, New Jersey, grandchildren; Shanna Dayton of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Jennifer Maguire of Belleville, Illinois, Conor Maguire of Austin, Texas, Courtney Maguire of Houston, Texas, Ashley Hoolihan of St. Louis, Missouri, Jonathan Maguire of Belleville, Illinois, a sister, Ann Fenlon of County Mayo, Ireland, best friend: Dan Johnson of Pensacola, Florida, and many nieces and nephews in Ireland and England.

Memorials may be made to Family Hospice www.familyhospice.org. Memories and expressions of condolences may be made at www.lakeviewfuneralhm.com

Funeral: Funeral services were private. Interment is in Lake View Memorial Gardens, Fairview Heights, Illinois.