Walter was born in Seattle and started skiing while attending Roosevelt High School. He was on the University of Washington ski team while studying to be an industrial engineer. He competed in 1937 with the team in the national collegiate championships against Dartmouth in Sun Valley. Their coach was Otto Lang. He also competed in the Silver Skis races, Camp Muir, 10,000 ft., to Paradise, 5,500 ft., in the late ‘30s.
Walt was always a man of action. Still an undergraduate in September 1938, he eloped with Genevieve (Gevie) Schroeder, his life-long mate who survives him. He worked as a management engineer for a number of industrial firms in Salt Lake City and Seattle, the last of which was Gradline. The firm manufactured precision highway asphalt paving machines and his duties there required him to travel internationally to where the machines were being used, including such places as Europe and Japan.
Upon retirement, Walt assisted Gevie in her business, General Travel, with one trip in 1976 to the Innsbruck Winter Olympics.
He received the YMCA “Appreciation Award for Outstanding Service to Youth” in 1976 in Seattle.
Walt’s life-long dream was finally reached when he and Gevie moved to Sun Valley in 1989. He became very active with the Ancient Skiers Sun Valley Reunion committee, serving as chairman several years. He also served on the board of the Ketchum/Sun Valley Heritage and Ski Museum.
In 2005, their final move was to the Rogue Valley Manor in Medford, Ore.
He is survived by his wife, Gevie; daughter, Leslie Moch; grandchildren Christopher, Alexandra and Sarah; and three great-grandchildren