Walter entered the U.S. Army in 1944 and retired in September 1967 with the rank of LTC. He was first in infantry and then obtained a commission and was with the Army Intelligence Corps, serving not only in the U.S. but also in Japan, Germany, France and Korea.
He married Ruth Von Postel, of Baltimore, Maryland, in June 1947 who is deceased. They had four children: Douglas and his spouse, Kim; Vicki and her spouse, Vincent; Judy and her partner, Michael; and Diane who is deceased.
4 grandchildren: Christopher Pearson who is deceased, Tony Wheeler, Stefan Petrie, and Elyse Davis.
2 great granddaughters, and 2 great grandsons.
After his military career, he became a U.S. Civil Servant, working for a national water pollution group in Cincinnati, Ohio. When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was formed, the water pollution group became part of EPA.
He transferred to North Carolina and was the Executive Officer for the EPA Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC.
He later worked for EPA in Washington, DC, as Assistant to the Deputy Administrator for Research and Development.
He married his second wife, Joyce, in 1972.
In fall of 1972, he transferred to a new position with the EPA at the Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory, Las Vegas, NV. Occasionally, he sat on the panel for EPA and the U.S. Dept of Energy at the Nevada Test Site. The Nevada Test site is where underground testing was done in the Nevada desert. He worked about 20 years for EPA. For several years before retiring the second time, he held the position of Acting Director of the EPA Las Vegas Laboratory. He retired from EPA in January 1987.
Shortly after retirement from EPA, he and Joyce went on a seven-month adventure via fifth-wheel, touring the western part of the U.S. He truly enjoyed this experience. Upon returning to Las Vegas after the trip, they moved into Sun City Summerlin, Las Vegas, NV. Sun City Summerlin is a retirement community where he found meaningful volunteer work, serving on several committees. He and another retired military officer set up the Computer Club. He also served on the Committee of Compliance and Regulations. For several years, he also found time to serve as Treasurer for the national organization of Army Counter Intelligence Corps Veterans, Inc. (ACICV.)
He had several hobbies throughout his life including: Fencing and golf in high school; obtaining a good command of English, Latin, Japanese, and German; and learning passionately about both U.S. and world history.
Walter also enjoyed classical music, sailing, bowling, gourmet cooking, and computer work as well as learning to operate his last toy - a telescope.
Walter died at home in Las Vegas, NV, on April 22, 2018, after a very short period under hospice care.
A funeral service will be held 11am Saturday, May 5, 2018 at Raleigh Memorial Park Mausoleum Chapel, 7501 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27612. The family will receive friends immediately following the service.
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