David L. Walters

After proudly graduating with a degree in Aeronautical and Astronomical Engineering from The Ohio State University in 1973, David worked at NUSC, Travelers, and Pfizer as a Professional Engineer. He earned a reputation as a polymath and a inspiring educator at the US Coast Guard Academy and the University of Texas, Pan American, and was a gentleman who was kind to everyone he met.

A man of varied talents, David was an avid athlete, enjoying tennis and golf, and famously helping to win many games for his college softball team, “Simo’s Sluggers.” He sang at Carnegie Hall with the Bahá’i chorus and enjoyed performing in dramatic productions in college and community theater. His memoir, Spiritual Mentoring was published in 2003.

David’s engineering prowess led him to take on renovations in his homes in Niantic and Ledyard, from his architectural drawings to the finished product, prompting friends to remark on the amazing quality of his designs and his craftsmanship. He played the trumpet and the flute, and was a lover of jazz and a patron of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City for many years.

While David endured the disabling nature of Parkinson’s disease in his later years, he remained a man of immense kindness, deep intelligence, and good humor to the end.

David is survived by his beloved wife Barbara Gilbert, his stepsons Matthew and Erik Gilbert, his children Anna, Paulo, and Fabio Walters, five precious granddaughters and one grandson. He leaves behind many dear friends as well as kind neighbors in the Giants Neck Heights community. HIs family appreciates the exceptional care provided by the nurses and aides from Yale New Haven Health at Home and Hartford Health Care Hospice.

Family and friends will gather for David’s burial at River’s Rest in Fountain Hill Cemetery, Deep River, on Wednesday, September 3 at 1:30 p.m.