Walter Elijah Kilborn Jr.

Walter E. Kilborn, aka Jr., Uncle Jr., Daddy-o and Coot, departed from this world on May 4, 2013. He fought the good fight, and has finished the race. “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:8.

He was born in Del Rio, Texas on October 23, 1927 to Walter Elijah Kilborn, Sr. and Arborette Brown Kilborn. He is preceded in death by his siblings Helene Ione, Ralph, Ruth Kilborn Denius, Rose Kilborn French, and survived by sister Dorothy Kilborn Denny and Alice Mae Kilborn Rollinson. The family eventually moved to San Antonio where life was tough and he worked very hard to contribute and just to get by. He graduated from Thomas Edison High School and enlisted in the US Marine Corp in 1946 to 1948. He attended Texas A&M for a year then graduated from Trinity University in 1953.

He married the most beautiful girl in the world on April 6, 1950, Madge Mary McGary who recently passed away August 3, 2012. They enjoyed a large happy family life together with their four girls. They moved to Houston in June of 1961. In their early years of marriage he had various jobs – teacher at Lackland Airforce Base, phone company, Southwest Research, and electrical side jobs with his brother. Then he started working for IBM in 1959 and worked there for over 25 years before retiring in November 1989. While working for IBM he was involved with developing patient monitoring telemetry at MD Anderson. He was also able to travel all over the world as Systems Engineer supporting main frame computers for IBM clients. He excelled at IBM and received numerous awards for excellence. He was truly an “IBMer.” He loved playing golf in his spare time and after retiring worked as a marshall for several golf courses for a number of years.

He is survived by his children Lucinda Jane, Mary Beth, Anne Marie (Joe) Gruszka, and Jean Maureen (Richard) Golladay; his grandchildren Kari (Eric) Buege, Sarah Gruszka, Hillary (Mike) Jackson, Katherine and Jeffrey Golladay; great grandchild Noah Buege and another little boy on the way; plus numerous nieces and nephews.

He was very passionate about supporting the military, veterans and wounded warriors. So in his memory, please contribute to Wounded Warrior Project or any Veterans organization.

Well done good and faithful servant. We will miss you Daddy. Miss Mary will miss you driving her to Beck’s. Please join us in celebrating his wonderful life. Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, May 9, 2013, with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m., at Earthman Bellaire Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Houston National Cemetery.