Sonksen, Walter ("Walt") Ferdinand (1932 - 2026)

SONKSEN, ERICKSON, RUCHTI, SCHLUTER

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 2/26/2026 at 15:35:38

Name of deceased: Walter (“Walt”) Ferdinand Sonksen

Aged: 93 yrs, 9 mo, 17 days

Residence: Peace Haven Senior Living, Walnut, IA

Born: April 22, 1932; Mapleton, Monona County, IA

Died: Feb. 8, 2026; Veteran's Medical Center, Omaha, Douglas County, NE

Funeral services: Graveside with military rites; Feb. 21, 2026; Ida Grove Cemetery, Ida Grove, IA

Survived by: Son, Randy (spouse, Donna) Sonksen of Harlan, IA; daughter, Joan (spouse, Steve) Erickson of Sioux Falls, SD; grandsons, Chad (spouse, Jana) Erickson and Corey (spouse, Kayla) Erickson; great-grandchildren: Cole, Mila, Graham and Leslie; siblings, Anna, Marvin, Fern and Elmer; other family members and friends

Predeceased by: Parents, Richard and Frances (nee Ruchti) Sonksen; wife, Marilyn (deceased in 2021); siblings, Mildred, Beula, and Mary

Education: Attended country school through grade 8 and then attended and graduated from Mapleton (IA) High School, Class of 1950; after his military service, he attended Buena Vista College, Storm Lake, IA

Religious affiliation: no information provided

Military service: Drafted into the U. S. Army in 1952; he reported for basic training at Camp Gordon, GA and served in Korea in Field Radio Repair; his active service was followed by 6 years inactive reserves

Marriage: Marilyn Schluter; Nov. 27, 1955; location not provided

Employment: Farmed in Mapleton, IA from 1954 – 1956; after completing his military service, he worked on Radar and Infra-Red Systems as a Tech Rep to the military (Air Force), employment that took his family all over the U. S. He held various jobs as a Field Test Engineer, Flight Test Engineer/Training Instructor, Field Supervisor and Asst. Field Service Supervisor of 90 technicians worldwide, working mostly with the RF-4C Reconnaissance Aircraft. Walt’s job transfers first took him to Hughes Aircraft in Culver City, CA in 1956. Following 6 months of school, Walt was then transferred to McDonnell Aircraft in St. Louis, MO in 1957; to Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach, VA in 1958; to Edwards Air Force Base in Palmdale, CA in 1959; to McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, CA in 1960; and then to Arlington, TX in 1962.

Walt left Hughes Aircraft and took employment with Texas Instruments working on Infra-Red Systems. He was assigned to White Sands Missile Range at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, NM in 1964 and to Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, SC in 1965. After a couple years, he was sent back to Texas Instrument’s home base in Texas and lived in Farmers Branch, a suburb of Dallas, TX. In 1970, the decision was made to quit moving so the children could complete their school years in one place, so they subsequently came back to Ida Grove, IA. Walt went into the radio and TV business with his brother-in-law. He subsequently opened his own shop in Ida Grove, IA. After 15 years, Walt and Marilyn moved to a farm outside of Avoca, IA, and lived there for the next 36+ years; Walt raised feeder pigs for a few years and had horses as a hobby (in both Ida Grove and Avoca, from 1976-2019). Two colts were born on the acreage. He rode horses at various events representing veterans.

Walt worked for Coffman Appliance in Omaha, NE and Hundt Appliance and Heating in Shelby, IA until he decided to run his own appliance and repair business in Avoca, IA; moving to Avoca, he ran service calls any time of the day. He officially retired in 2021.

Hobbies/Interests: Loved to play golf wherever he lived, and square danced with Marilyn in South Carolina with 2 square dance clubs. They traveled to Spain in 1973 and to Hawaii in 1977 and took his family to Mexico on vacation.

Sources: knodfm.com; pauleyjones.com