John was a parishioner of St. Theodore Catholic Church in Moss Bluff. Prior to his wife's death, he was a member of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Hackberry and a member of the St. Peter choir and served on the parish council. John was a Scout Master with Boy Scouts of America. He belonged to the Numismatic Club for many years, was involved with Calcasieu Council on Aging, a CASA volunteer, a Board member for many years for Water Works District #1-Ward1 for Moss Bluff-Gillis, and was involved with the development of the Creole Nature Trail and the Cameron Creole Watershed Project. He worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 42 years, retiring in November of 1990. John was the manager of Sabine National Wildlife Refuge for 28 years. He was also on the Moss Bluff Senior Center Board, and an active member for many years at the Center, where he enjoyed participating in Ms. Annie's painting class, Tai Chi class, and their annual play. He volunteered at the Moss Bluff Library, and actively worked with Calcasieu RSVP Volunteer organization. John was a proud United States Army Veteran and served in WWII.
Those left to cherish his memory are his daughters, Margaret and Gabriel Canizares, Catherine and Michael Montgomery, Dorothy and Orin Ortego, Anita Walther, and Cecilia and Toby Richmond; son, David and Marie Walther; daughter in law, Patricia Walther; grandchildren, Daniel and Michelle Canizares, Phillip Canizares and fiancé Jessica Devore, Monica Canizares, Anthony Canizares, Amanda and Ethan Choates, Mariel Ortego, Suzette and Tyler Thibodeaux, Nicole Walther, Stephan Walther, Andre Walther, Emma Walther, Laurie Walther, Andrew Walther, Geno Richmond, and Zeke Richmond; great grandchildren, Rita, Jonah, Emerson, Benjamin, Lily Belle, and Theo Thibodeaux.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his loving wife, Rita Cecelia Florane Walther; and son Patrick Walther.
Visitation will be held at Hixson Funeral Home of Moss Bluff on Monday, May 10, 2021 beginning at 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and will reopen on Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. until the procession leaves for the church at 9:45 a.m. A rosary will be prayed at 6:30 p.m. Monday evening in the funeral home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Theodore Catholic Church. Burial will be at Hackberry Cemetery.
The family would like to thank Brighton Bridge Hospice and the crew, Melinda Kellar, Carla Richmond, and Joyce Fischer, Tori, and Tammy, as well as Kim Frances and Faith Richard for their assistance. Also his granddaughters, Monica and Mariel for the loving care they provided to their grandfather.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hixsonfuneralhomes.com for the Walther family.
A few words shared by one of John's daughters: "My Father died today. And tonight I feel like Barbara Streisand in the movie Yentl when she sings "Papa, can you hear me?"
Dad had been on hospice since last year. He was so ready to go and we all hated seeing him suffer. But now he is gone and I feel there are so many things I still want to tell him and ask him. As I lay by him on his bed this past week, he would hold out his hand and let you caress it or hold it. Sometimes he would shake his hand which meant to leave him alone. I marvelled at those 94 year old hands - so weak with knobby joints. They had seen so much life. They helped clean up in Europe after WWll, held my Mother, burped and changed diapers for seven children, fingered rosary beads uncountable times, moved chess pieces, banded geese and ducks and plucked those he'd shot, taught Scouts knots, washed dishes, petted so many dogs, perfectly folded tents so they always fit the original box, repaired our cars for years, took tons of photos, held alligators' snouts shut and secured them with straps, tilled rows of dirt in our gardens, played a mean game of dominos, painted paintings in old age, and fed him endless amounts of vanilla ice cream. Lately his hands were stiff and weak. They fluttered and grasped at things only he could see. I asked him what he was grasping at and he said he just didn't know.
He had always wanted to carve decoys, but waited until he retired and then said his hands were just too shaky. But somewhere I have a pinkie ring he carved for me from a deer antler when I was young.
He was a good son, husband, brother, dad, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was a faithful servant of the Lord. I ask you to join me in praying for the repose of the soul of John Rudolph Walther, my Dad. 🙏🏽
Papa, can you hear me? I will miss you! ❤️"
