Walter Thomas Smilac

Walter Thomas Smilac
Walter Smilac died on November 5, 2013, joining his wife, Bonnie, in Heaven, who died on November 6, 2011. They joined their daughter, Diane, in Heaven, who died on February 10, 1984
He was born in Helvasha, Pennsylvania on April 30, 1919 to Polish immigrants, the 8th of 9 children. The family eventually moved to Cleveland, Ohio where he finished high school. He met Bonnie Schneff on a blind date and they married on August 31st, 1940. They were married 71 wonderful years and leave behind three generations of a loving family.
Walter was a World War 11 veteran. He was a Seabee (a branch of the Navy) and served almost 36 months in the South Pacific building bases in the Philippines, New Guinea and Morotai (The Netherlands, Dutch East Indies). While in Morotai, he was patted on the back by General MacArthur for a job well done! He returned to Port Hueneme, near Ventura, Ca. around March 1945 where my wife Bonnie was waiting for me.
After the war, Walter attended the University of Wyoming as a voice major and then became a vocational math teacher and principal in Wyoming. He taught math for the San Bernardino City Unified School District for 25 years. He taught most of those years at Pacific High School. Walter help open San Andreas Vocational High School before he retired in June of 1980.
After retirement, he studied clock repair and wood carving. Walter and Bonnie enjoyed traveling to Elder Hostels to take classes and looking for antiques along the way. They traveled to all 50 states as well as South america and Europe, traveling to Poland twice.
The Mass at the chapel at the VA Memorial Medical Center will be said for the intention of his soul on Sunday, November 17th at 9:30 am. Graveside services celebrating the lives of both Walter and Bonnie Smilac are scheduled on Monday, November 25th at 2 pm at Riverside National Cemetery, staging area 1.