Walter J. Walker

Hastings resident Walter J. Walker, 92, passed away Friday, January 27, 2023, at Bryan East Medical Center, Lincoln, NE.    

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, January 31, at First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hastings with Pastor Joel Remmers officiating. Burial with military honors by Hastings Military Honor Guard will be at Parkview Cemetery in Hastings. Visitation will be 1-3 p.m. Monday, January 30, at the funeral home, and one hour before the service at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. The service will be live-streamed on Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home’s website. To view the service, go to Walter’s obituary and click the play button shown towards the bottom of the page.

Walter was born near Sterling, NE on December 1, 1930, to Walter Thomas and Elsie Mae (Powell) Walker. He graduated from Hastings High School in 1948 and worked for a construction company building the highway between Cook and Tecumseh, NE before joining the Navy in 1951 and serving four years as an aviation machinist mate. He married Ruby Pieper on December 29, 1951, in Hastings, NE after finishing boot camp in San Diego, CA. He was stationed at Atlantic City, NJ where they lived until July 1953 when he was assigned to the USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier for the recommissioning and world cruise. The Hornet Aircraft Carrier sailed around the world while he was abroad and it was delayed on its cruise when caught up in the Korean War. The Carrier stopped in 12 different countries. He was discharged in March 1955 and returned to Hastings to join his family. He worked for Hastings Utilities for six years and the U.S. Postal Service from 1962 until his retirement in 1988.

He was a member of the First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church since 1958 and a member of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees, Postal Clerks Union, VFW, American Legion, US Bowling Congress, and local bowling leagues. He enjoyed the competition and bowled in the Cornhusker Games and State Senior Games for many years and won numerous medals. He was entered into the Hastings Bowling Association Hall of Fame in 2010. He was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and an usher and money counter at First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church for many years.

Walter was preceded in death by his parents; step-dad, Fred Gowdy; sisters, Vera Payne and Doris Burger; grandson, Brian Stecher; nieces, Dixie Doughty and Judy Owens; and nephews, John Nicholson, David Burger, Mike Payne and Dan Payne.   

SURVIVORS:

Wife of 71 years:                   
    Ruby J. Walker – Hastings, NE

Children & Spouses:             
    Sandra & Joe Stecher – Grand Island, NE

    Steven Walker – Jefferson City, MO

    Scott & Deb Walker – Lincoln, NE

Grandchildren:                      
    Sarah (Ray) Chavez

    Andrew Walker

    Anne Walker

    Jamie (Gabriel) Long Soldier

    Jena (Josh) DeBoer

    Nick Walker

Great-Grandchildren:            
    Rya Chavez

    Lily Chavez

    Josey Chavez

    Cameron Long Soldier

    Alice Long Soldier

    Helen Long Soldier

    Noah DeBoer

    Jacob DeBoer

    Caleb DeBoer

Sister:                                    
    Helen Nicholson – WI

Many Nieces, Nephews & Cousins