Don was born November 1, 1934 in St. Louis, Missouri to Lee and Evelyn Walter. Lee was an artist and printer and Evelyn was a housewife.
Don married Jewell Frances (Greenwood) Matthews on February 14, 1973 and became a devoted step-father to Kelli (Matthews) Wade.
Don worked as a printer from the time he was a teenager, following in his father’s footsteps. When he retired from Ambassador Envelope in St. Louis, Missouri, he and Fran moved to Kansas City, Missouri to be near their grandchildren.
Before retirement, Don and Fran enjoyed traveling the country on their Honda Gold Wing motorcycle with their local Gold Wing Road Riders Association Chapter in which they served as officers and trip planners. They were also award winning bowlers who enjoyed their weekly league. Don was a bowler since he was a young man and amassed a large collection of bowling trophies going back to the sixties.
After retirement, Don enjoyed taking friends and family for rides in his 1991 Camaro convertible, attending his grandchildren’s birthday parties and school functions, and working in his garage. He could repair anything and enjoyed redecorating his home with Fran. He loved to paint and the colors of their walls were always changing! He also loved watching westerns and listening to country music.
Don is survived by his wife, Frances Walter; his daughter, Kelli Wade; his granddaughter, Kayla Wade; and his grandson, Kyle Wade Jr.
If friends and family would like to make donations on Don’s behalf, please do so to NorthCare Hospice House where Don was so compassionately cared for his final hours. Donations can be made online at https://www.kchospice.org/donation/ or checks can be made payable to Kansas City Hospice Foundation and mailed to KCHPC, 1500 Meadow Lake Parkway, Suite 200, Kansas City, MO 64114.
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