Norman Walters

Norman Eugene Walters, Family Man, WWII Veteran

Norman "Norm"' Eugene Walters passed away at Wind Crest's Mill Vista Lodge in Highlands Ranch, CO on March 15, 2022, at the age of 98. He will be remembered as a loving husband, father, and grandfather, a cribbage enthusiast and an active community member throughout his lifetime.

He was born on December 15, 1923, in Wheeling, West Virginia, the only child of Fred Walters and Gertrude (Tubaugh) Walters. After graduating from Warwood High School ('41). Norman attended Cornell University, served in the U.S. Navy (1943-46), and graduated from Brown University in 1947 with a degree in engineering. In the Navy, Norm served aboard the heavy cruiser USS Los Angeles in the Pacific.

In 1950, Norm married the former Marian Ring of Martins Ferry, OH. Together they built a family in the communities where Norm’s career took them, from Columbus, OH, to Florham Park, NJ, Centerport, NY and Littleton, CO. His early career in industrial instrumentation followed the modernization, automation and engineering marvels of the time, including installing the first automatic computer process controls in the steel, rubber, plastics, paper and tobacco industries. He later worked in management at Westinghouse Electric (OH and NY), the Engelhard Corporation (NJ) and Johns Manville (CO). His work took him to South Africa, Europe and Asia. Following Norman’s retirement from Johns Manville (’82), he enjoyed 10 years working as a graphic arts and printing services broker for industrial and commercial accounts.

Norm “bloomed where he was planted.” He enjoyed fishing, clam digging and watersports associated with living on the Long Island Sound; he marveled at the bridges, tunnels, trains and skyscrapers of Manhattan; and he deeply appreciated the natural beauty of Colorado and the western U.S.  He was a tinkerer in his basement workshops, a model train hobbyist, a neighborhood Santa Claus (complete with red suit and pillow), Kiawanis Club member and volunteer in many ways. In his later years at the Wind Crest Senior Living Community, Norm was a founding member of the Wind Crest veterans group, which has grown to more than 300 veterans representing all branches of the military. Norm also served as an elected member on the Wind Crest Resident Advisory Council (RAC) and took great interest in growing the college scholarship fund for the high school workers in Wind Crest dining halls.

Norm was gracious, kind, humble and fair. He was an exemplary role model for his three children and their families. He was preceded in death by his wife Marian in 2015 after 64 years of marriage. He is survived by a son, Norman Kent Walters (Patty) of Tucson; and two daughters, Laurie Walters Langley (Jim) of Littleton, and Janet Walters (Dan Buedel) of Denver; and grandchildren Sarah and Jordan Walters, Jared and Meaghan Langley, and Annie Gray, Paris and Bruno Buedel.

A special thank-you goes to those who continued to keep in touch with Norm over the years and in ways that they were able. He sincerely appreciated the phone calls, photographs, letters, emails and visits. The Covid-19 pandemic made visits especially hard and less frequent. Norm and his family are eternally grateful to all who made the extra efforts to stay in touch.

Norm can be well remembered over a game of cribbage played among friends and family with a gin martini nearby. His family asks that you raise a glass to a life well lived. He would appreciate and enjoy that.

An interment of Norm’s ashes took place on April 25 at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver attended by his family with the playing of taps and an Honor Bell Tribute.

Contributions may be made in Norm’s memory to the Veterans at Wind Crest, c/o Tom Puckett, 3225 Summer Wind Lane, PL-2115, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129, or the Kiwanis Children's Fund (Golden K Foothills, Lakewood, K08412). https://www.kiwanis.org/childrens-fund/give.