Dwight F. Walton

Dwight F. Walton

Dwight F. Walton, Born in 1935, in Des Plaines, IL. Preceded in death by his mother, Jessie M. Walton; and his sister, Naomi Murray. Dwight attended Maine East Township High School and graduated from DePauw University in 1957.

Dwight was a captain in the Air Force and served in Korea from 1958-1960. After his return, he held marketing leadership positions at IBM and Deltak. He later formed several companies including Walton Properties (1971), National Film and Video (1978), and Fun, Fairs and Festivals, Inc. (1981), which his son, Gregory, continues to own and operate to this day. In 1961, Dwight married Lou Ubben, whom he met at DePauw. They shared a love of their alma mater and the friendships they had formed during their years in Greencastle, Indiana. Dwight and Lou also shared a love of travel and various causes which focused on improving the lives of others.

Dwight and Lou moved to Arlington Heights in 1964. He soon became active in village affairs, in the Republican Party, in the original caucus system of village government, and as chairman of the Wheeling Township Mental Health Board.

Dwight served several terms as a Trustee on the Arlington Heights Village Board. He was first elected in 1969 and served until 1971, during that term he initiated a study of affordable housing, culminating in the formation of the Village Housing Commission. He was elected again in 1985 and served until 2001. He was proud of the many accomplishments achieved by the Village during his tenure including the revitalization of the Arlington Heights downtown central business district, the creation of the Metropolitan Performing Arts Centre, development of Lake Arlington as a major recreation area, abatement of flooding throughout Arlington Heights, and the development of the Luther Village retirement community-which Dwight and Lou have enjoyed first hand for the past six years. He also facilitated an agreement between local school and park districts with the Village, resulting in the development of North School Park. In addition, Dwight initiated the Fine Arts Commission and the Arlington Heights Special Events Commission, which continue to host events throughout the community.

One of Dwight's most significant contributions was the creation of Arlington Heights' annual Frontier Days. In 1974, Dwight was asked to chair the Arlington Heights Bicentennial Commission leading up to the nation’s 1976 Bicentennial. In 1975, Dwight chaired the village's first major July 4th celebration, which then became the annual Frontier Days Festival, for which Arlington Heights is widely known today. Dwight and Lou chaired this event until 1980.

After he retired from the Village Board, Dwight formed Arlington Cares, a non-profit organization which raised funds to supplement the Village Emergency Assistance Program. He was a generous supporter of local organizations and charities, including the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre and Faith Community Homes.

Dwight’s interests expanded beyond Arlington Heights as he and Lou shared a love for travel. They were able to visit many countries, including China, South Africa, Italy, France, and Great Britain, as well as several river trips through Europe. Since their retirements, they enjoyed winters in Naples, Florida. Despite having traveled the world, Dwight's favorite place was Minocqua, Wisconsin, where he spent several weeks a year fishing and boating. In later years, Dwight became an advocate for Walleyes For Tomorrow, which promotes vibrant fish populations and healthy outdoor living.

Dwight is survived by his wife, Lou; his children, Brian (Tammy) of Charlotte, NC, and Greg (Jill) and Andy (Noel) of Arlington Heights; his grandchildren, Adam, Chad, Grace, Chris, Samantha, Kayla, and Zel; and great-grandchildren, Chase, Cooper, and Crawford, all of whom were the center of his world. He was deeply loved and will be greatly missed.

A Celebration of Life will be hosted on December 7th, from 3-6 pm in the Campbell Room at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre. Those who knew or were impacted by Dwight are welcome to come and join in the celebration.

Donations may go to the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre.