Dale J. Walters

  

 

     Dale J. Walters 76, of Lorain entered eternal life at his home on Thursday, June 5, 2008.  He was born in 1931.  Dale grew up and lived in Lorain all of his life.

     He was a 1949-B graduate of Lorain High School where he participated in dramatics and the a cappella choir.

     Dale was drafted in 1952, and spent two years in France with the United States Army. After serving his country, he returned to Lorain and married his childhood sweetheart Arline Niznik in 1954.

     Together they raised two children, daughter Diane (Bob) Lindway and son Tim both of Lorain. Besides his children and wife of 53 years Dale is survived by a brother Ralph and two granddaughters, Alexis and Brianna Lindway of Lorain.

     He was preceded in death by his parents Gust and Esther (nee Vaillant) Walters.

     Dale was employed at the Avon Lake Technical Center of the B.F. Goodrich Company for forty years. He spent the past fourteen years toiling in his garden, canning the harvest and sharing the bounty with family and friends. 

     He was also a social member of the Knights of St. John.

     The Family will receive guests from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 P.M. on Monday, June 9, 2008 at Schwartz, Spence, Boyer & Cool Home for Funerals 1124 Fifth Street, Lorain Ohio.

     A celebration of Dale's life will begin at 11 A.M. at the Funeral Home on Tuesday,  June 10, 2008 with  Rev. Lynn Schlessman, pastor Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Avon Lake, Rev. Dr. Linwood H. Chamberlain Jr. and Rev. Jimmy Madsen, co-pastors  of First Evangelical Lutheran Church as celebrants.  

     Burial will follow at Ridge Hill Memorial Park in Lorain.

     The family suggest that memorial contributions may be made to American Cancer Association, 43099 North Ridge Road, Elyria, Ohio  44035.

 

 

CONDOLENCES

 

From:        Jackie Fink
Relation:    friend

 

Lean on your faith and take comfort in knowing that he is resting peacefully with our eternal father. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
 

From:        Doris Trnian Carson
Relation:    Friend

 

My deepest sympathy to Arline and children. You have wonderful memories--- Treasure them... Reach out to each other....
 

 

 

From:        Janis Pentz Mason
Relation:    Friend

 

My thoughts and prayers are with you all, though I never had the privilege of meeting Dale. Arline, you were such a good friend of my Mom's, that it always felt as if I knew him. He is in a wonderful place and you will be together again.

 

 

 

From:        JoAnn Sun Novelty
Relation:    Friend

 

Diane and Family
My deepest condolences to you and your family.
JoAnn Myers
Sun Novelty
 

 

 

From:        Alexis Lindway
Relation:    Eulogy

 

My grandfather is my hero. I say this because the morals he taught and the lessons he advocated live on in me and my life, plus I told him. He was the role model in my college essay for the person I admired in my life. Though he shared his gardening and love with me, talking was our thing. He told me he was born in his own house on F St.; his birthday being August 18th, 1931. As he grew up, his brother, Ralph, would take him to play, especially baseball, when he climbed the batter’s fence all the way to the top and then fell. He remembered breaking his arm and Ralph joking he would never take him out ever again. He told of actually playing kick the can, something he claimed was a common new game going around and on winter days, tying a rope to the back of a garbage truck and to his sled and riding it all over Lorain, an activity he stated was safe at he time.
Grandpa met Grandma in grammar school, and said he would constantly think, “That’s the girl I’m going to marry one day.” Remembering the long ago days of Lorain High, they both would recall the interesting days that passed between them. He was always the kind of person to follow suit, however with his own twist. The cliques in school all had their own letterman sweaters for their different clubs. Feeling left out, he got his friends together to make up their own club, called themselves the “Fratairs” and wore their own letterman jackets with F’s on them, just because. He spoke of being drafted for the Korean War and remembered the fear of leaving Grandma and not coming home to get married. He wrote her all of the time, telling her of his time being deported. One of the many phrases he learned from Uncle Sam was “Take what you want, Eat what you take.” It was a motto he lived by, not only because of some of the hard times, but to help save up during the good times. I remember sitting with him at breakfast and he would hold an egg and laugh. Questioned, he told me that one night, he was on patrol, being promoted to Corporal, and asking the cooks in their tent for an extra egg or two in exchange for something small. The cooks laughed at him and said no. Pa laughed back and didn’t turn on their heat for their tent. He said from then on he always got extra eggs at breakfast. He was in France most of the time and I asked him if he ever saw the Eiffel Tower. He smiled and said, “Well, Lexi, I saw it, but I never got to visit it. You see, all the streets to the Eiffel tower are lined with bars so I only ever got half way.”
When he returned home, Grandma and his family were his entire life. He worked hard at a job he loved at B.F. Goodrich and took care of a house that they moved into brand new. He helped care for his own ill parents and in-laws while making sure my mother and uncle had a fantastic childhood. They remember trips to Cedar Point, a trip to Boston ending shortly with a broken leg, and trips to Nova Scotia and parts of Canada.
All his life all he ever did was take care of the other people around him. Sharing his food, his laughter, and always his beer, he made sure everyone he cared about knew that was there for them. He was also very blunt, but in a loving bluntness. Grandma and I were experimenting one day making a tomato basil vinaigrette, just trying what we thought would work. We called grandpa in after a taste test and asked what was missing. He said, “A trash can.”
He told my grandmother everyday that she was pretty and that he loved her. He was the strong, silent man. He said it doesn’t matter how smart you are, the intelligent people are the ones who take care of those he loves and the things that he prides on. My grandpa was a very smart man.
 

 

 

From:        Frank Konya
Relation:    Friend

 

Dear Arline and Family,

I was very sorry to learn about your husband,Dale.  Please accept my heartfelt sympathy at what I imagine to be a very difficult time for you.

In celebrating Dale's life, I had the deepest respect for him and I enjoyed our time working together at BFGoodrich on a lot of important projects.  I have nothing but fond memories of him!

Sincerely,

Frank Konya