Walter L. Rathmann (1930-2020)

RATHMANN, BUNCE, WEICHMAN, WATTLEWORTH

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 6/7/2020 at 21:35:02

Walter L. "Red" Rathmann

March 16, 1930-May 12

ELDRIDGE-Walter L. "Red" Rathmann, 90, of Eldridge, passed away on Tuesday, May 12 at the Davenport Lutheran Home in Davenport.

A private memorial service will be held at Chambers Funeral Home in

Eldridge. Inurnment will take place at a later date at Black Hills

National Cemetery in South Dakota. Memorials may be made to the Disabled

American Veterans.

Walter was born March 16, 1930 in Grand Mound

to Frederick & Florence (Bunce) Rathmann. He joined the

Navy in 1948 and served aboard the USS Leyte CV-32.

He attended yearly reunions of his shipmates that

he would attend for the past eighteen years until last year. Walter was proud of his service in the Navy

and would share stories with anyone who asked!!

Walter worked for the former Flame Gas company in Bettendorf. Many customers to whom

he had delivered had remained his friends all of his life. He began his truck driving career delivering bulk propane to the Bettendorf plant and then spent five years driving for the Rowley Interstate company of Dubuque. In 1986, he began driving for Adrian Carriers out of Milan. He retired in 2016, completing 30 years of service the day before his 86th birthday. He was proud to say he had logged over seven million miles during his career.

Walter married Emogene Welchman in 1953. In 1986, he was united in marriage to Chris Wattleworth in Rapids City, South Dakota.

Survivors include his wife, Chris Wattleworth; his

children, Tom (Elaine) Rathmann, James (Jackie) Rathmann, Cindy (John)

D'Mochowski, Esther Brown, Kate (Rod) Hanson, Becky Weatherwax, Jenny Fellows and Deb Bettles; twenty-three grandchildren; eighteen great-grandchildren;

six great-great grandchildren; and his sister, Beverly (Del) Wulf of

Arizona.

He was preceded in death by three sisters and six brothers.

Walter's full obituary may be found at www.McGinnis-Chambers