Walter Allyn Cronkright

Walter was born to Walter and Jessie Cronkright on July 23, 1931, in East Orange, New Jersey. He grew up in Kearney, NJ, where he and his sister, Janet, attended Kearney High School.

Walter graduated from Rutgers University in 1952 with a degree in Chemistry. He subsequently earned his Master’s degree in Chemistry from Drexel University and his PhD from Brooklyn Polytechnic University. He spent the majority of his business career with M.W. Kellogg, through all its various iterations, retiring from Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR) in 1996. His thirst for knowledge was evident up until the end of his life, as he sought to keep up with the ever-changing technology landscape and perfect the ideal beer recipe in his garage.

Walter married his beloved wife Tina in 1954. Courtesy of the U.S. Navy, they lived in Norfolk, Virginia, Brunswick, Georgia, and Newport, Rhode Island, before leaving the Navy to return to civilian life in New Jersey and raise their three children – Patty, Nancy and Philip.

The Cronkright family was uprooted from New Jersey as part of the great oil migration of the 1970s. They moved to Houston in 1975, where they lived until 2006 when Tina and Walter relocated to the easy life on Galveston Island.

In Galveston, they were active members of the Galveston Country Club and created many lasting friendships. They thrived in retirement where they pursued their mutual love of golf, bridge and sailing. They traveled extensively, both in the U.S. and abroad – including Italy, Bali and Greece.

Walter is survived by his children: daughter Patty Dalheim and her husband Bill of Houston, Texas; daughter Nancy Cronkright of Houston, Texas; and son Philip Cronkright and his wife Belinda of Huffman, Texas.

Other family members include grandson Kirk Dalheim and his wife, Jenna; grandson Nick; and granddaughter Calista Cronkright as well as his brand-new great-grandson, Liam Dalheim. He is also survived by his sister Janet Whyland of Marcellus, New York; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Walter’s life is planned in Galveston, Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Walter’s name to the Cristopher and Dana Reeve Foundation or the charity of your choice.