WALTER BODLING

WALTER JOACHIM ERNST BODLING (Age 90)  
Passed away on December 4, 2016. He was the second son of German immigrants who settled in New York soon after the first World War. As fate would have it, the boys' mother succumbed to pneumonia when they were only five and three years old. Walter was sent to Germany to stay with relatives until their father could reestablish family life after that tragic loss. Again, fate intervened as WWII broke out and Walter did not return to the United States until after that war ended. He immediately enlisted in the United States Army. That enlistment turned into a 25-year active duty career as an infantry soldier, captured-document analyst, personnel manager and administrator, in grades of Master Sergeant, Chief Warrant Officer, and Major. His foreign service took him to Okinawa, Vietnam, Cambodia, Germany and Greece. His decorations include the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star Medal. He worked in the private sector prior to joining the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). During part of the Reagan administration he was attached to the National Security Council staff as the Pentagon member of an interagency activity. In the course of his near 20-year OSD tenure he was twice awarded the Defense Civilian Meritorious Service Medal. Walter's beloved wife Mary passed away in February 2015; they had been happily married for over 64 years. He is survived by his daughter Barbara; his son Edward (LtCol, USA-Retired); son Gerald; his brother Paul (LCDR, USN-Retired) and their respective families, including grandchildren Kathryn, Annie, Ashley, Wesley and Brian, and great-granddaughter Briar. His half-brother Alfred (SFC, USA-Retired) died in 2010. Visitation will be held on Friday December 9 from 11 a.m. to 12 Noon at Murphy Funeral Home, 4510 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22203, followed by graveside service at 12:30 p.m. at Columbia Gardens Cemetery, 3411 Arlington Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201.