Louie Dave Walters Jr.

1932 - 2013

Louie Dave Walters, Jr. November 14, 1932 - February 27, 2013 Louie Dave Walters, Jr., 80, beloved son and only child of Louie Dave Walters, Sr. and Marguerite (Gil) Walters, was born in the family home on November 14, 1932 in Bakersfield, CA. He passed away peacefully at Mercy Hospital after an extended illness early in the afternoon of February 27, 2013. Louie was pre-deceased by both of his parents and is survived by his wife of nearly 58 years, Dona Marie; their only child, daughter Leslie Rene Walters; and Leslie's husband, Wayne Kress. Louie was raised in east Bakersfield and graduated from East Bakersfield High School in 1950. He attended USC for two years before meeting Dona Butler back in Bakersfield on a blind date in the summer of 1953. They were married on May 17, 1955. Louie no longer wanted his parents to pay for his college education, so he quit school and enlisted in the U.S. Army, stationed first in Kansas, then in Germany. Upon discharge, with a good conduct medal (no surprise to people who knew him), he and Dona moved back to Bakersfield, where they welcomed daughter Leslie Rene into the world. Louie then enrolled in Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and studied architecture. Unable to find housing because no one would rent to a couple with a young child, Louie's parents helped him buy a small house in Shell Beach. The young family lived there for the next couple of years, but Louie left Cal Poly before completing his degree to "go to work." He and Dona moved back to Bakersfield, where Louie would live the rest of his life, but that Shell Beach house remained a life-long family retreat. Upon moving back to Bakersfield, Louie went to work for local builder Whitney Bigger while continuing his architectural degree via correspondence courses through the Southern California Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (A.I.A.). He loved working for "Whit" and it amused him that one of the homes Whit built is located across the street from his daughter's home. He also worked on the design of Highland High School, from where Leslie later graduated. He left Whit after 12 years to form an architectural partnership with Bob Clement, David Milazzo and Carl Elliott. Clement, Milazzo, Elliott and Walters was short-lived, lasting only two years, but they designed some of the most recognizable buildings in Bakersfield-including the California Triangle, the "Darth Vader Building," Stockdale Fashion Plaza, and Stockdale Tower. Louie specialized in the structural design of buildings, and he teamed with many architects over the course of his career, including associations with Warren Pechin, Robert Stuhr, and Gary Olson before retiring with Ordiz Melby. He worked out the design of numerous Bakersfield schools, the last being Ridgeview High School, and dozens if not hundreds of commercial and residential properties. He even designed southern California Rolls Royce dealerships. Louie worked with all of Bakersfield's current generation of architects, and he spoke highly of them all. That they respected him is no surprise. They characterize him as a very talented and relentless pursuer of "the answer." They were proud of his ethics and amazed by his humility. They spoke his virtues, because he never would. He was simply a man of action. Louie's passion was gardening, and his particular hobby was bonsai-the Japanese art of growing miniature trees. He was also a dog-lover, and his family always included at least two, first standard collies, then shelties, and more recently shiatsus. Louie always left people with more than he took. At his request, there will be no services. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation in memoriam to either the American Heart Association (404 Truxtun Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93301) or the American Diabetes Association (611 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90017). No Services are scheduled www.bakersfield.com/obits