Earl C. Walter

Earl C. Walter, of Milwaukee, born to eternal life on October 6, 2024, at the age of 96. Beloved husband of Ethel for 71 years, cherished Dad of Judy (Kurt) Ruehrmund of Menomonee Falls and Kris (Chuck) Puls of Brookfield. Earl was a very special uncle to his Heidtke nephews and nieces: Keith (Kandee) of West Bend, Rev. Gail of Palatine, IL, Susan of Jackson, and Joel (Wendy) of Cedarburg, plus their loving children and grandchildren, who are like grandchildren to Earl and Ethel. Earl is further survived by his St. Paul’s church family, and friends at Luther Manor. He is preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Viola, brother Kenneth, sister-in-law Janet Heidtke and her husband Fred Heidtke. Many other beloved friends were in heaven to greet him, including fishing buddies and special choir member friends, greeting him with a heavenly anthem.

A service of praise and thanksgiving for Earl’s life will be held on Saturday, October 26, at the Krause New Berlin location at 12:00pm, preceded by gathering time beginning at 9:30am.

Memorials appreciated to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (2812 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee), Luther Manor Foundation or the church or charity of your choice.

Earl Walter was a delightful and devoted husband, father, son, brother, uncle, friend and leader. He was quick with a greeting, a handshake and often a joke. Earl loved God and served His church all of his life, especially singing songs of praise.

Earl was born on September 6, 1928, the first of two sons to Frank and Viola (Glandt) Walter. He was born at the family home on 51st & Locust in Milwaukee and lived there until being drafted into the U.S Army. A 1946 graduate of Milwaukee’s Washington High School, Earl went on to study engineering at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. He then worked for the Lifesaver Company and Coca-Cola in sales roles. In 1950, he entered the service, ultimately reaching the rank of Sargeant.

At a Luther League event in 1948, Earl met Ethel Hill, and the two soon became sweethearts. During their courtship, they often had to use the city bus as transportation for dates. When Earl entered the U.S. Army in 1950, he was stationed stateside in Wisconsin and California. He returned home on Thanksgiving leave in November of 1951 to become engaged to Ethel. A few weeks later, he was shipped overseas where he served as an engineer with the fuel distribution unit in Okinawa, Japan, until the following December, 1952.

Earl and Ethel married on February 14, 1953, just weeks after Earl returned home from service. They began their married life in the upper flat of Earl’s parents’ home. Earl gained a position with PPG Industries (Pittsburgh Paints), where he continued his career in various sales, management and training roles until his retirement, after 41 years. At the start of his tenure with PPG, they moved to Racine for a few years. They returned to Milwaukee, living 61 years in a home they built on 52nd Street. It was in this home that he and Ethel raised their two daughters, Judy and Kris. There he enjoyed many memorable gatherings of family and friends, happily spent time tending to his yard, enjoying a martini on his patio, and watching birds. In 2018, they moved to the Terrace at Luther Manor, to an apartment on the campus on 92nd Street in Wauwatosa. Their apartment has a lovely balcony that hosted bird feeders, where they continued to delight in watching birds from their window.

A dedicated, lifelong member of St. Pauls’ Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Earl served in numerous ways over the years. In 1957, Earl began as choir director. Over the next 50+ years, Earl directed the Senior, Junior and Youth Choirs and began a youth contemporary singing group. He selected music, hymns and planned countless services, including Easter worship services and Christmas Eve concerts. Earl also organized and directed several musical worship concert celebrations with singers, actors and musicians.

In addition to his worship music role, Earl served in leadership and teaching roles at St. Paul’s. Earl served as church council president, was both a member and Chairman of the Worship & Music committee, served on the Parish Life committee, and pastoral call committees. He also played integral roles in several congregational anniversary celebrations, up through St. Paul’s 175th anniversary, serving as presenter, historian and entertainer. Throughout the 1960’s to 80’s, Earl was involved in youth education at St. Paul’s, teaching a youth class, and reaching many young people in new ways. In the 1990’s, Earl took on a role of leading music for the Sunday School, which hosted many children from the neighboring community. The children even kept track of which child got to sit next to him on the piano bench each week. In addition to all of those roles, rarely did a visitor walk through the doors to worship at St. Paul’s who was not greeted personally by Earl.

After commemorating 50 years as choir director, Earl joined the bass section of the choir, and enjoyed singing as well as occasionally directing. For more than 25 years, all four of the Walters participated in St. Paul’s Christmas Eve service.

Earl’s music career began long before his music ministry at St. Paul’s. As a young boy, Earl learned to play the accordion and was encouraged to entertain at programs in the church basement and family gatherings. While in high school, Earl partnered with two buddies to form the band “The Continentals”, singing and playing the accordion. The band began playing at school and local functions, ultimately playing wedding receptions and anniversary parties. On several occasions, Earl played not only for a couple’s wedding, but also their 25th or even 50th anniversary celebrations. While Earl endured a lot of accordion jokes over the years, he nonetheless was repeatedly requested to play at church programs, picnics, family events, daughters’ birthday parties and even polka worship services. In his retirement years, he played the nursing home circuit and delighted the residents with music.

Upon moving to Luther Manor, Earl joined the bass section of the Terrace Singers, a choir of Luther Manor residents. He delighted in attending Wednesday afternoon rehearsals, with Ethel singing in the soprano section. And there, Earl also achieved a new goal of singing in a barbershop quartet.

A dedicated family man, Earl loved his wife and daughters. He was an involved Dad, taking the family cross-country skiing and waterskiing, entertaining at birthday parties, helping with homework projects, tending to daughters’ cars, and eventually helping at their homes. A very special time in Earl’s life was gaining his sons-in-law. Finally, instead of going fishing with girls, he had sons to take fishing – and later, to take him fishing.

Earl loved family vacations, including many trips to New York City to visit his brother Ken, family road trips around the United States when the girls were young, and in retirement, ocean cruising to Alaska and Hawaii, and finally visiting Germany in his late 70’s. For many years, he had his guys’ fishing trips in spring and fall “up north” and later, Canadian fishing trips. However, his yearly favorite arrived each July with the family’s week on Little St. Germain Lake – fishing, waterskiing (into his 60’s), enjoying the lake view with a cocktail, and tooling his boat around the lake. Earl also enjoyed Milwaukee’s festivals, especially German Fest, and the opportunity for Gemulichkeit and singing “Ein Prosit”.

Earl passed into heaven at Aurora Zilber Family Hospice in Wauwatosa on Sunday, October 6, 2024 in the late afternoon, after a wonderful visit with extended family. He had a lovely room, with a bird feeder outside the patio doors.

Earl’s family wishes to thank the dedicated and talented staff at Luther Manor, Aurora West Allis Medical Center and Zilber Family Hospice, for their care for Earl.

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