Name: Visitation for Walter P. Laute
Start: 2019-07-11T21:00:00.000Z
End: 2019-07-12T01:00:00.000Z
Location: Jay B. Smith Funeral Homes, LLC. - Maplewood

Laute, Walter P. Visitation Thursday, July 11, 2019, 4-8 P.M. at Jay B. Smith Maplewood. Funeral Fri. July 12, 2019, 10 AM at Concordia Lutheran Church. Interment JB National Cemetery.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Jul. 11, 2019.

Memories and Condolences
for Walter Laute

4 Entries

Visit to St. Louis - 1989

Mark Gehrke

August 6, 2019

Walter was a very good friend and I would call him every now and then to see how he was getting on. I tried to call him today, but the phone was disengaged, and when I checked Google I found out that he had passed. I'm shocked and sad to find out that he had died and disappointed that I never heard from Paul or Michelle about it. Walter had told me he had made arrangements to let me know should something bad happen.
Walter is related to my aunt's husband, and I went to visit him in St. Louis while in the US in 1989, and he took me to many places. We kept in touch all these years. I am so very sad that he has gone and I never got the chance to talk to him one last time.
He was a dear friend, and a special man with lots of stories, I will miss him greatly. Rest in peace Walter, you are now with Betty once more.
Much Love, Mark & Sandra

Yvonne Tamou (nee Lutz)

July 12, 2019

Yvonne Tamou, Gatton, Queensland, Australia

My name is Yvonne Tamou( née Lutz) I am the youngest daughter of Martha and Otto Lutz who lived in Australia. Otto was Uncle Walters oldest brother. The reason my father was here was because he was in the American Army and, the American hospital base was at the Gatton College The little town Gatton (which is south west of Brisbane) is where Martha and Otto settled to raise their family.
Dad would have loved to have gone home to the States to visit family,unfortunately,he passed away when I was thirteen.

I had very little contact with Uncle Walter and Aunt Betty however I did considered them very close. Prior to living in Australia we lived in Christchurch New Zealand. I was so proud when he wrote a letter stating, he and Aunt Betty would be visiting us in Christchurch.
Their arrival at the Christchurch airport was one of the most memorable times of my life. I just knew when they appeared through the gates.they had the biggest smile on their faces and I knew it was them
Acting as a tour guide we showed them the sights of our fair city Christchurch, which has drastically changed since the Christchurch Earthquake.

Uncle Walter had a great memory,because he never forgot any of our birthdays and,of course,Christmas well wishes. His cards were always sincere and genuine in its verses and sayings, always adding Paul and Michelle names.

There will always be an emptyness in my life.
Uncle Walter you will always be in our hearts

Yvonne, Matt, Eli and Sarah

Eli Tamou

July 10, 2019

Uncle Walter meant so much to me. He was my first pen-pal back in the early 80s when I was a kid growing up in Christchurch New Zealand, when I was a teenager in the 90s finding my way in the small town of Gatton, Qld, Australia, when I back packed across Western Europe in the 00s and more recently when my little family of Lesley, Ruby and I moved from Ireland and back to Australia. I have the fondest memories of Uncle Walter sending me aerograms, post cards, letters and Star Wars and Michael Jordan paraphernalia. Uncle was so thoughtful and a letter and parcel from him would firmly glue a smile on my face even before opening it. I could go on and on about the cool and most wonderful things he would send or tell me about. The snow at his home, his record collection, Aunt Betty, seeing the latest movies that would take months before hitting our screens. The "greatest" and most special (well at the time it was) letter and parcel he sent to me was in 1990. By 1990 I was head deep in devoting my waking hours to basket ball, all things Chicago Bulls and the NBA. It was the era of Air Jordan's, Magic - Michael - Larry and the Gatorade Slam Dunk comp. In 1990 the human highlight film Dominique Wilkins won that comp and did so sporting a pair of Reebok Pumps. To me, my mates and anyone that had eyes at High school the Reebok Pumps were the pinnacle of cool and by chance not for sale or just so hard to get in Australia. Fulfilling my 16 year old dream Uncle Walter sent me a pair of Reebok Pumps. Today such a story would fall on deaf ears, but in 1990 lacing and pumping my way into school that morning made me feel like the king of the world. In hindsight as a 44 year old today I laugh at my 16 year old self but I also know how lucky I was to have an Uncle that happily wrote to me and who also had the foresight and thoughtfulness as to what a kid growing up in a small town might find special. He was right. I will miss Uncle Walter not just because of the many letters we shared but also ultimately because of his bond and connection to my mums dad - my grandfather, Otto Lutz.

Love always. Eli Tamou