Francis Walters Jr.

Frank Walters, 89, died Thursday April 17, 2014 in Fountain Hills.

Frank lived in Fountain Hills for 26 years with his life-long companion and wife, Kathryn Stern Walters. He was born on Aug. 30, 1924 in Blacksburg, Va. and raised in Richmond, Va. He also lived in Indiana, Ohio and Colorado.

Frank was the son of Francis and Vivian Walters, both of whom rest eternally in Roanoke, Va. Besides his loving wife, Kathryn, he is survived by his sons, Frank Walters III (Challis, Idaho) and Peter Walters (Boulder, Colo.) and his grandchildren Beau, Nicholas and Eli.

Frank enlisted in the U.S. Navy on July 8, 1942 and was stationed in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. He became one of the young Navy-MP bodyguards to the admiral commanding the Allied Fleet at D-Day and escorted him in Paris after the liberation.

After the war in Europe, he was reassigned to the Pacific Theatre. He received the European African, the American Area and the Victory World War II medals and was very proud of his military service.

His experience as machinist mate, first class in the Navy led him to enroll at VPI (Virginia Polytechnic Institute) where he graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering.

Frank worked with Allison, a division of General Motors in Indianapolis, Ind. and Dayton, Ohio. He loved his work, which took him throughout the United States as well as to North Africa, Sweden, Venezuela, Canada and the Enewetak Atolls in the South Pacific where he served as a technical liaison for atomic bomb testing.

He retired as manager of The Allison Dayton Zone office in 1988 and moved with his wife Kathryn to Fountain Hills. He then bought and operated a successful and popular restaurant business, the “El Perdido” in Breckenridge, Colo.

Frank was a founding member and president of the Indianapolis, Ind. Ski Club, and head Scout Master of Boy Scout Troop 179 in Indianapolis, and the chairman of the Dayton, Ohio chapter of NSIA (National Security Industrial Association).

In Fountain Hills he was an active and enthusiastic participant in the Republican Club, as the Republican District 23 precinct committeeman, VFW Post 7507, The Club and member of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church.

Just a few weeks before Frank was hospitalized with heart problems at the end of March this year, he was playing golf and tennis with his good friends. He loved to fish and boat, camp and hike, bowl and snow ski and taught all of his skills to his sons and grandchildren.

Frank touched so many lives in a good and loving way and he will be deeply missed by his friends, his wife, his children, his grandchildren and all his other family members.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, April 24, at 2 p.m. at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church at Fountain Hills and El Lago boulevards.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Virginia Tech College of Engineering, in memory of Francis H. Walters Jr. at Virginia Tech College of Engineering, Attention: Office of Development, 3046 Torgersen Hall (0259), 620 Drillfield Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, or by credit card to, https://webapps.es.vt.edu/givingto/academic/gift