Myrtle "Mert" Marie Walter

Myrtle "Mert" Marie Walter passed away on December 14, 2019 after a 10 year trial of vascular dementia. Though she be but little, she is fierce; this truly sums up her story in life. Born on November 22, 1932 in Gardner, Massachusetts to Leon and Laura Gauthier. She is survived by her daughters, Laura Tucker and husband Russ of Rogers, Deborah Walter and her fiancée Kelsey Bray of Santa Barbara CA, Davine Bush of Alexandria, VA and her brother, Roy Gauthier of Gardner, MA. She was GamGam to 16 grandchildren; Kale Schuenemann, Madison Tucker, Tiffany Tucker, Ryan Tucker, Tory Sims-Muir, Justin Bush, Starrla Evans, James Waters, Chet Waters, Lyle David Hughey, Tim Hughey, Starr Ledford, Ronna Smith, Jeannie Smith, Cooper Smith, Sawyer Smith and 13 great grandchildren. She was predeceased by 3 of her children, David Hughey, Starr Hughey and Kim-Robbin Hughey and her brother Paul Gauthier.

At a young age of 18, she enthusiastically joined the US Air Force and served in the Korean War from 1950-1953. Her time spent in the military was one of her favorite times of her life. She was a resident of Rogers since the late 1950's and retired in 1993 from Union Carbide/First Brands/Clorox after 19 years. She was very active at the Rogers Wellness Center since the first day it opened and enjoyed Silver Slippers water aerobics 3 days a week. She was an athlete and played many sports as a young person including softball, basketball, hockey, cross country skiing and water skied Beaver Lake till she was 60. She loved being outdoors soaking up the sunshine, spending time on the lake, her animals, and watching her family be happy. Either coaching or cheering from the sidelines, she could always be found at her daughters sporting events, never to miss a single one. For her 75th birthday, she sky dived 13,000 ft in Nevada; she tells that they wouldn't allow women to do so when she was in the military so she did so on her own terms at 75 years young. On December 14, 2019 she took her final jump, this time landing in the arms of Jesus who she had come to know as her savior in 2009.

Quoted from her high school yearbook in 1950, "Though she may look slight and small, appearances don't tell the full story at all. In fact she is one of the best girl athletes we've had in Gardner for years. We hope she'll be able to join the professionals girls' baseball team. Varsity basketball 1, 2, 3 softball 1, 2, 3 hockey 2, 3, class volleyball 1, bowling 1."

The family would like to thank Dr. Cheryl Fulton, Paula DeVaney and Sue Stafford for being dear friends and caregivers along with the entire care team at Village on the Parks in Rogers for their invaluable care.

Services will be January 11, 2020 in the Chapel of Rollins Funeral Home in Rogers. Visitation will begin at 1:30 pm and a memorial service at 2:00 pm. Interment will follow in Rogers Cemetery. Arrangements are under the care of Rollins Funeral Home in Rogers, AR. She was most comfortable in her blue jeans and Cracker Barrel sweatshirts. Please honor her by wearing yours if you choose on this day.

Meanwhile, please take a moment to share your thoughts and memories with her family here at our website.