Thomas J. Walter

1951 - 2017

Thomas J. Walter

West Des Moines - Thomas Jay Walter, 66, of West Des Moines, passed away December 1, 2017 surrounded by his loving family. A funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Thursday, December 7, 2017 at West Des Moines United Methodist with burial at Resthaven Cemetery in West Des Moines. Visitation with the family will be 5 - 7 p.m. Wednesday, December 6, 2017 at McLaren's Chapel in West Des Moines.

Tom was born January 14, 1951 in Mason City, Iowa to Harry and Helen (Dennis) Walter. Tom met the love of his life, Earleen, and they were united in marriage in 1976 and together they raised two daughters. Tom earned a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. During college, Tom joined the ARMY ROTC and was discharged as a Lieutenant in 1982. Tom spent 41 years in the construction industry and began working for Neumann Brothers, Inc. in 1988. During this time, he managed a number of high-profile projects that enhanced the Des Moines Skyline and quality of life, including the Science Center of Iowa, Meredith Corporation Expansion, Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company and EMC Insurance. Not only was Tom the Executive Vice President, he was also a Shareholder and sat on the Board of Directors. He was a member of the American Society of Professional Estimators and sat on committees through the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Tom was considered a role model in his profession in the way he displayed his honesty and integrity in the business world. He was a member of WDM United Methodist Church.

Tom enjoyed being in the company of friends, playing golf, hunting, and cooking. He was an Iowa State and Green Bay fan. His passion was for his family, especially watching his two daughters show Arabian horses, and he was known as one of the best horse show dads around the country.

Tom is survived by his loving wife, Earleen; daughters, Jessica (Flaco) Maldonado of Norwalk and Stephanie (Paul) Douglass of St. Louis, MO; grandchildren, Tommy Maldonado and Sutton Douglass; step-grandchildren, Javier, Alberdi, and Liandra Maldonado; brothers, Rick (Vicki) Walter of Nevada, IA and Don Walter of St. Paul, MN. Tom was preceeded by his parents; and brother, James Walter.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be directed to Variety-The Children's Charity of Iowa, WDM United Methodist Church or Animal Rescue League of Iowa.