Walter Ulmer III

Walter Ulmer, III of Elkins Park, PA formerly of Roslyn, passed away Wednesday, May 13, 2020 at Abington Hospital-Jefferson Health. He was 59 years old. Loving father of Walter Ulmer IV, Amanda Ulmer and her husband Daniel Morton and Victoria Ulmer. Dear son of Rose M. (nee Pello) and the late Walter Ulmer, Jr. Also survived by his newborn grandson, Noah, whom he never got to meet nor hold due to a medically induced coma. Brother of Gail L. and her husband Edward V. McNeill. Uncle to Maria S. McNeill and her husband Kelly Lear. Great uncle to Nathan and Adeline. He also leaves to mourn his cousins and second cousins and their families. Walter lost his brave 3-week battle with COVID-19. He was a front-line hero, serving Abington Hospital as second shift Security Supervisor, where he worked for almost two decades. His fellow Security team escorted Walter from his ICU bed through the halls, honored by nurses, doctors, staff and Administration to an awaiting security vehicle detail to escort him with lights and sirens to the John F. Givnish Funeral Home on Academy Road, Philadelphia. Walter was a 1978 graduate of Abington H.S. where he played for the varsity soccer team, his favorite sport in which he participated. After moving to Roslyn as a young boy from North Philadelphia where he was born, Walter was inspired to play (& coach) soccer for the Roslyn Club by his beloved cousin Randy Garber (Retired Professional Soccer player, and current teacher & soccer head coach at Abington H.S.) Walt graduated from Penn State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology, his work life passion. Walter learned his "street smarts" working at his father's Beer Distributor & Ice House, which was a land mark establishment in North Philadelphia until the sudden passing of his father. Common sense was a family gift, and the quick wit of a response was Walter's own personal character. The other gift was the genuine caring for his family, friends and many times to the common stranger he would meet on the job or out in the community. Besides soccer, he had a real mastery of statistics and sports heroes, of almost all sports. He was successful with fantasy football teams and he had a brilliant mind for numbers, playing cards, slots and other casino games. Walter and his mother Rosie, both loved going to Casinos together, her, for the one-arm bandits(slots) and Walter for Crab-legs/prime rib Buffet and card games or roulette. It was always hard to figure out what sports teams he really rooted for, like Eagles (NOT), as he loved to "egg on" just about anyone on any topic! He was a trivia master of movies, the actors and the titles. He loved the TV series X-Files, action theme movies of Clint Eastwood and Star Wars where he was an early watcher of the recent Star Wars-Mandalorian. Walter loved dogs, especially large breed dogs raising Saint Bernards, German Shepherds, Newfoundlands and Leonbergers. When his dad was alive, they would travel together hunting in North America in search of trophy Big Game. They had success on many trips, including fully mounted trophy Kodiak Grizzly, an Alaskan Moose, many Black bears and white-tail deer. Walter was a proud and supportive father to his three children. His son Walter IV and daughter Victoria live close by in Philadelphia and NYC. His daughter Amanda lives in Los Angeles and was married last year in Southern California. Walter escorted the bride down the aisle and she recently graced him with a healthy grandson, Noah, who was born a few weeks early so the attending nurses could whisper in Walter's ears of the new family joy while on the ventilator. If you grew up with Walter through his young adulthood, you remember him as a "skinny dude" that needed a good meal! He made up for those early days of starvation as an adult with his own unique style of cooking. Do not ask how much butter or cheese went into the culinary dishes he was famous for sharing with the family, friends, flea markets and his security team. His specialty items were meatballs (softballs), macaroni & four-cheese casserole, Walt's ribs and homemade bar-b-que sauce, and Mussels Fra diavolo. Walter enjoyed eating a good meal and enjoyed helping others. If so desired, a contribution to Philabundance, www.philabundance.org (so others less fortunate can be fed) or to the American Diabetes Foundation www.diabetes.org/donate-to-ada (a disease Walt had to cope with) would be appreciated by the family. We go to funerals both to pay respect to the deceased and to offer condolences and support to the family. But very sadly, due to the world pandemic, we cannot do these things in person at this time. Walt will have the proper send off he deserves at a later date. Please take a moment to sit down, pop open a can of Coke Zero, listen to some Bruce Springsteen music and share your fondest memories and funniest stories of Walt with his family at www.lifecelebration.com