Walter Anthony Meier

Walter A. Meier

May 14, 1929 – January 9, 2023

Walter A. Meier, also known as “Wally”, began life in Chicago, Illinois, on May 14, 1929. He died peacefully on January 9, 2023, one hundred miles away in Muskegon, Michigan, facing west across Lake Michigan toward the place of his birth. In between those bookends near the shores of Lake Michigan, his journey led him to many places in a rich and eventful life that touched many people.

Wally was the son of Carl and Helen (nee Sauter) Meier, natives of the Baden-Wurttemberg region of Germany. Because of his mother’s poor health, when Wally was about one-year-old, he and his mother traveled to Germany to be in the care of his mother’s relatives. After staying in Germany for a year, they returned to the US in April 1931. Back in the US, Helen gave birth to Wally’s brother Otto when Wally was three. Unfortunately, his mother’s poor health continued, and she died of tuberculosis when Wally was just six years old. Because his father needed to work and could not care for his young children while working, Wally again went back to Germany, with Otto, to live with his father’s relatives. After his father got remarried, to Erna (nee Schneider), the two brothers returned to the US in April 1937 just before Wally’s eighth birthday. Their return was notable as they were on one of the last passenger ships to leave Germany before the start of World War II and as the Nazi war machine was gearing up. After the brothers returned to the US, the family settled in Detroit, Michigan, where Carl worked at Chrysler. While growing up in Michigan, Wally became steadfast friends with Jack Pieters, a lifelong friendship that continued until Jack passed away in 2021. 

When Wally was 18, he enlisted in the Army where the military stationed him in Guam for about 18 months. While in Guam, among other duties Wally helped remodel the record library of the base’s radio station. Wally’s military career also provided him with interesting and thrilling experiences such as running into newly captured Japanese soldiers (1948), meeting Joe Louis - who was on a USO tour, and surviving two typhoons. Wally’s military career ended with an honorable discharge on January 19, 1950, just six months shy of the US entering the war in Korea. While Wally was fortunate with a timely exit, his brother Otto was not so lucky. Shortly after Otto followed his older brother into the Army, he was killed in action on September 1, 1950.

After leaving the Army, Wally married his sweetheart, Norma Jean Dawkins, who he affectionately called Jean or Jeannie, on October 14, 1950. Over the next five years, Wally and Jean had three children–Thomas, Donna, and Linda. Besides beginning post-Army life as a devoted husband and father, Wally also began his working career as a plant laborer at the Kolene Corporation, a Detroit metal processing company. Wally started out working long physical hours amongst dangerous chemicals initially making $1 an hour. With overtime pay and working roughly 70-80 hours per week, Wally earned enough to provide for his family and give them a comfortable life. Despite the long hours, he still found time to be with his family and occasionally took them on vacations, most often to Florida. 

In 1967, Wally purchased a 17-foot speedboat, which initiated a hobby that lasted over 30 years, primarily on the waters of Lake St. Clair. After the speedboat, his love of boating carried on with a sequence of cruisers, including a 28-foot Owens, a 31-foot Chris Craft (“Sea Jean”), and a 32-foot Trojan (“Sea Jean II”). Finally, Wally downsized to a 26-foot Sea Ray (“Sea Jean III”). In the early 1970s, through an invitation by Jeannie’s cousin Roseann and her husband, Marv Schott, Wally became one of the earliest members of the Chrysler Yacht Club (later renamed the North Channel Yacht Club). The yacht club became an important social focal point for Wally and Jeannie as they spent most summer weekends at the club or on a rendezvous with fellow club members, particularly the Cirellos, the Hendersons, and the Ellises. 

In the late 1960s, as the three kids were getting older and independent, and Wally was still working long hours, Jeannie felt she was getting bored. They decided their options were for her to get a job or have another child. In early 1969, and after successfully executing their decision, they called together Tom, Donna, and Linda for a family meeting. There was excitement amongst the three kids, as they thought they were going to be told that the family would be getting a color TV. Instead, Wally and Jean informed their kids that their mom was pregnant. In September, Walter Neil, often called “Little Wally” (even long after he was little), was born.

Over the years, Wally advanced in his career at Kolene Corporation to plant manager and later into sales. His sales position took him all over the US and even abroad. Wally and Jeannie traveled extensively, both for Wally’s work and for pleasure. They visited Hawaii three times, Germany three times, as well as Great Britain, France, and Italy. They took an Alaskan cruise and several Caribbean cruises. Their travels also included many plane, train, and automobile trips around the U.S. and Canada, visiting almost every state and many provinces. 

One of Wally’s favorite places to visit was Colorado. He and Jeannie went there for their honeymoon, driving up to the top of Pike’s Peak. They had a harrowing descent as their brakes failed, but they made it down the mountain and back home safely. Many years later, after Little Wally moved to Colorado for school and work, the couple took several trips there to visit their son. 

Wally and Jean lived most of their lives in the Detroit area in various suburbs, moving from Redford to Farmington, then to Grosse Pointe Woods and later to Macomb. After nearly 43 years at Kolene, Wally retired in January 1993. A few years after retirement, the sun and warmth of Florida called to them and in 2001, they moved to Boynton Beach. While residents of Florida, they enjoyed regular visits with Jean’s sister Roberta, brother Robert and his wife Theresa, sister-in-law Lona and husband Charles. Weekly dinners and card games of “Oh Hell” were a routine for the group. There were also gatherings with the many nieces and nephews living in or visiting south Florida. 

Nearly every morning in Florida, Wally enjoyed a soak in the neighborhood hot tub, followed by a walk at the local mall. He made many friends in Florida, including a mall-walking buddy, Mark, and neighbors Sheldon, Jeff, Stanley, Diana, and Beulah. Along with family, these friends sustained him after Jean’s death in May 2014. Besides hot tub conversations, there were lunches, movies, bowling, and other events that Wally enjoyed with his friends. 

In 2022, as Wally’s mobility declined, he moved back to Michigan to be close to his daughters and son. After moving to Whitehall, Michigan in October, Wally spent a pleasant holiday season with his family and loved ones. Soon thereafter, he unfortunately became hospitalized with pneumonia. He succumbed to the disease on a Monday evening, shortly after one of his favorite TV shows, “Jeopardy”, ended.

He is survived by: four children and their partners, Thomas (Tara), Donna (Larry), Linda (Paul), and Walt (Stacie); as well as eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. 

Walter was preceded in death by: his father, Carl; mother, Helen; step-mother, Erna; brother, Otto; wife, Norma Jean; and one grandson, Christopher Page.

Throughout Wally’s life, his children and grandchildren revered him as a loving and dedicated husband and patriarch of the family. He had a well-earned reputation as a hard-working and honest man, who made friends easily. He was straightforward with people and wouldn’t hesitate to speak his mind. Though he only completed school through 9th grade, Wally had a sharp and curious mind that earned him a PhD in the school of life. As part of his immense zest for life and care for others, Wally was always an optimist and had a positive outlook, demonstrated by his lifelong motto and sage advice for all: KEEP SMILING!

Wally’s family appreciates all the condolences extended to them since their father’s passing. The family invites all those who knew Wally to join them in celebrating their father’s life in Whitehall, Michigan, during the weekend of his upcoming birthday in May. Please contact the family for further details. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages a donation to a favorite charity in memory of Wally.

In accordance with Walter’s wishes, cremation has taken place and no services will be held at this time.

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, White Lake Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.

www.beaconfh.com