Otto Wallace Walter

Otto Wallace (Wally) Walter, Jr., passed peacefully in his sleep on August 14, 2024 at the age of 102 1/2years. Wally was the only son of Otto Wallace Walter, Sr. and Lois Trueblood Walter. He was born in Norman, Ok. January 29, 1922. Wally grew up near the U of O, where his father worked as a faculty in the Electrical Engineering Dept. They went to Ft.Wayne, Indiana in the summer of 1925-1928, then moved on to Ardmore, Pa. Later, in 1927, they moved to Cambridge, Mass while his father studied for his doctorate in Electrical Engineering. They settled in Hastings-On-Hudson, N.Y. Sept. 14, 1931 where they lived until the tragic death of Otto in an automobile accident in 1935, when Wally was just 13yrs. This was a profound loss for both Wally and his mother. Lois and Wally eventually moved back to Norman, Ok where she got her BS in Library Science and worked at the University Pharmaceutical Library.
Wally attended and graduated from University High School, in Norman. He attended UofO, studying pre-engineering, and pre-law, before going to the Naval Academy. Wally also attended Iliff School of Theology, working through a deep introspection of his loss of his father. He graduated from Washington University, St.Louis, with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Anthropology and Psychology. After being drafted and serving in the US Army in WWII, Wally received his Master's Degree in library science from Peabody College in Nashville, TN.
Wally met Jerry Tonkin in Laramie, Wy. They were married in Ft. Collins, Co. on June 14, 1952 and they had four children: David, Jimmy, Jackie and Deb. Jimmy was born with complex needs and suffered from severe mental and behavioral challenges. This was a terrific strain on their marriage. With no adequate supports to care for Jimmy at home properly, he was institutionalized at what was supposed to have been a state of the art facility at the time: Hissom Memorial Center, in Sand Springs, Ok. in 1964. He was just four years old. Deb was born in 1965 and Wally and Jerry divorced in 1968. Wally eventually took a job at the Missouri State Penitentiary system, in Jefferson City. He was hired to head all the libraries in the Penal system in the state of Mo.
Wally retired to Ponca City, Ok where he lived near his mother until she passed away in 1995. He then moved to Olympia to join his daughters, Jackie and Deb and their families, where he lived the next 29 years. Wally lived at the Firs Retirement Living Community for over 28 years where he was the longest residing resident. Wally was an avid Bridge player and he often attended several Bridge games a week. He also was active in the First United Methodist Church where he led Sunday School small groups. Wally wrote regular letters to the editor of the Olympian with a strong interest in politics. But Wally's greatest passion was for his family. Wally enjoyed attending little league games, volleyball tournaments and gymnastics meets, traveling with his children and grandchildren, and weekly family dinners.
Wally is survived by three of his children: son, David Walter; daughter Jackie Bulldis and her husband Nick Bulldis; and daughter Deb and her husband Steve Mazepa; and nine grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held on September 8, at 4 pm at the First United Church of Olympia located at 1224 Legion Way SE, Olympia.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the First Olympia United Methodist Church.
"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve. The only thing of importance, when we depart, will be the traces of love we have left behind. By having a reverence for life, we enter into a spiritual relation with the world By practicing reverence for life we become good, deep, and alive."~ Albert Schweitzer