Earl W. DeWalt

Earl W. DeWalt Earl W. DeWalt of Hilton Head, S.C. died on Thursday, February 10th at the age of 91 after a long illness. He grew up in Allentown, PA. As a young boy he was very interested in the Boy Scouts earning the Eagle Scout award. He served in World War II as an artillery officer and later as Chief of Military Personnel at Camp Carson in Colorado Springs. In 1946 he left the army with the rank of major. Earl married the former Louise Russell Martin and they enjoyed 67 years of life together. They lived at Red Brook Farm in Marion, Ma for twenty years where they had horses, cows, pigs, sheep to name a few. In 1946 Earl purchased the Darwin Press, a printing and publishing business in New Bedford, MA which later became Reynolds-DeWalt Printing. Mr. DeWalt was very active in community affairs wherever he lived, serving as president of Junior Achievement, The New Bedford Taxpayers Association and several other civic organizations. He was trustee of the New Bedford Five Cents Savings Bank and later the Compass Bank. He enjoyed being the chairman of the Moby Dick movie premier which brought Gregory Peck and John Houston to the New Bedford area. Earl was a member of the Wamsutta Club, the New Bedford Port Society, the Beverly Yacht Club and president of the Sippican Tennis Club. He was a vestryman at St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church in Marion, MA. In addition to tennis he was an avid squash player, six wicket croquet player, bridge player and reader. After semi-retiring the DeWalt's spent the next eight years living on their Grand Banks trawler, "Sea Song". Earl obtained a captains license and Earl and Louise received the Grand Banks award for the boat that cruised the most miles in one year. They then settled in Punta Gorda, Fl. where he continued boating and became Commodore of the Platinum Point Yacht Club. Mr. and Mrs. DeWalt moved to the Cypress of Hilton Head, SC in 2000. Earl and Louise have two surviving children, Sarah DeWalt Cunningham of Hilton Head and Mattapoisett, MA and Peter DeWalt of Mattapoisett, MA. Their daughter Susan DeWalt Harrison died in 2009. Mr. DeWalt is survived by six grand children, Sarah Roberts of Duxbury, MA, Lisa Laughlin of Manahawken, N.J. William Vincent of Tamarac, Fl and Meghan, Justin and Leland DeWalt of Southwest Harbor, ME. He leaves four great grandchildren, Daniel Vincent and Eliza, Zachary and Benjamin Roberts. He is also survived by his sister Elizabeth Gross and brother William DeWalt. A memorial service will be held at the Seaman's Bethel on Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, Ma in the summer. The Island Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements. www.the islandfuneralhome.com