Harold E. Walter (1925-2005)

WALTER, RICAHRD, RASMUSSON, SMITH, KRUSENTSJERNA, STAMPER, JANSSEN

Posted By: Nevada Journal
Date: 10/7/2005 at 07:12:02

NEVADA JOURNAL, Nevada, Story County, Iowa, Thursday, October 6, 2005.

Harold E. (Walt) Walter, 80 of Nevada passed away on Sunday, October 2, 2005 of cancer at the Israel Family Hospice House in Ames. Funeral services will be held 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, October 8 at the Central Presbyterian Church in Nevada with Pastor Steve Williams officiating. Burial will follow in the Nevada Municipal Cemetery.

Walt was born to Reverend Ernest R. and Frieda C. (Richard) Walter on July 3, 1925 in Streator, Illinois. His father served the Evangelical United Brethren Church as pastor in Bolan, Lansing, LaVerne, Afton and Nevada. Walt graduated from Afton High School in 1942. He graduated with honors in 1950 from Westmar College majoring in Economics and Natural Science. During World War II, Walt served in the Pacific Theater as a cryptologist for the Army Air Corps. After college, he was called to state-side service in the Korean Conflict. Walt married Florence Rasmusson on June 21, 1953 in Manson, Iowa and soon became an integral member of his extended family. He worked for ten years as Story County Auditor and for twenty-six years as Assistant to the Dean of Extension at Iowa State University. Walt was a dedicated and innovative worker who enjoyed challenges.

Walt's greatest joy was being with family. He was a devoted father who taught his sons reverence for nature through camping and fishing trips and innumerable family outings. He was humble, generous, and quick of wit. All who knew him were impressed with his easy nature and sense of humor. While a member of the Toastmasters, he won second place for humorous speaking.

Walt enjoyed trying new things. His many hobbies included computer programming, golf, Bridge, Pitch, Cribbage, photography, woodworking, camping and fishing. He loved his annual trips to Ontario, Canada with three cherished fishing buddies. In recent years the Canada trips have been made with family. Walt traveled widely visiting all fifty states and most Canadian provinces. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Nevada where he served as church treasurer for many years. He was also a member of the Lions Club, the Toastmasters, the Indian Creek Country Club, and a fifty year member of the Masonic Lodge.

Walt is survived by his wife Florence Walter of Nevada; three sons, Thomas and Brenda Walter of Chesterfield, Missouri, David and Alyson Walter of Topeka, Kansas, and John of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; three grandsons, John, Matthew, and Christian Walter; his sister, Ruth Smith of Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin; brother-in-law, Charles Krusentsjerna of Rochester, New York and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Richard and Dorothy Stamper of Gilmore City, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.

Walt was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Frieda Walter, his mother-in-law, Mary Rasmusson, a brother-in-law, Dale Smith, a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Gottlieb and Lucille Janssen, and a sister-in-law, Mary Krusentsjerna.

Visitation will be held on Friday, October 7 after 4:00 P.M. with the family present from 5-7:00 P.M. at Chet Ryan Mortuary in Nevada.

A memorial fund has been established in Walt's name for the First United Methodist Church Building Fund.

Chet Ryan Mortuary in Nevada has been entrusted with the arrangements.

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