Cecil Earl Walter Jr (1921 - 2014)

Born 18 May 1921 in Seattle, King Co., Washington

Died 10 Feb 2014 at age 92 in Florence, Lane Co., Oregon

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Biography

Burial Mount Calvary Cemetery Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, USA

Lt Col Cecil E Walter. WW2 Paratrooper, 1st Recco Bn. We will never forget.

Left by Dominique Potier on 16 Oct 2018

Sources

• Obituary

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, 19 February 2014

C. Earl Walter Jr. May 18, 1921 - February 10, 2014

Earl Walter was born in Seattle, WA to Cecil Earl Walter and Grace Reierson Walter. As a child he lived in Seattle and Mindanao, The Philippines, where his father was an engineer running a logging company. His mother Grace died when he was nine.

Earl Jr. returned to the mainland for formal education. Earl attended Black-Foxe Military Academy, Hollywood, CA; Bellarmine Preparatory, San Jose, CA; and Grant High in Portland, OR. At these schools Earl began his swimming career which would become an integral part of his life and friendships.

At Grant, Earl was All State in swimming, Student Body President and met his lifelong sweetheart, Sally Jane Holden. They were married in 1944.

One of the more famous chapters in Earl's life occurred in the Army in 1945 when Captain Walter, trained and led a squadron of Filipino paratroopers on a mission in New Guinea which was memorialized on international wire services as the "Rescue in Shangri-La" and most recently the book "Lost in Shangri-La". He was awarded the "Soldier's Medal". Earl later retired from the Army Reserve as a Lt. Colonel and battalion commander.

After the War, Sally and Earl returned to the University of Oregon, Eugene to finish his BA in Business. At Oregon Earl was a 3 time All American, Captain of the Swim team and a member of The Order of the O. He was also President of Beta Theta Pi fraternity.

During his 35 years in sales at Mail Well/Great Northern Nekoosa, Earl was top salesman year after year.

Earl had five children: Jane, Judy, Jeffrey (Jonetta), Lisa (David) Sedlacek, and Bruce. As the children grew, Earl gave endless hours to their youth sport teams and organizations.

In his mid-50s Earl resumed his legendary swimming career with 356 Top Ten finishes/US Masters in all strokes, all distances; individual and team 18 Top Ten relay finishes; numerous national and world individual and relay records (some still standing); 1988 to 1996 All American (Top US. Swimmer) 100 Meter IM and 100 Meter Fly. He was nicknamed the "The Silver Fish" and later by his Oregon Master's friends: "Old Barnacle".

Earl retired to Gearhart, OR and most recently Florence, OR.

Earl was pre-deceased by his wife Sally and his daughter Judy.

In addition to his 4 children, Earl is survived by 5 grandchildren: Sasha Rich, Gunnar Walter, Emma Sedlacek, Brandon Walter and Molly Sedlacek.

The family would like to thank the staff at Peace Harbor Hospital and Spruce Point Assisted Living for their extraordinary and compassionate care in Earl's final days.

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday February 21st at St. Mary's Catholic Church Our Lady of the Dunes at 11am.

In Lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the Oregon Masters Swimmers in Mr. Walters's memory these may be left with Burns's Riverside Chapel Florence Funeral Home.

Find A Grave: Memorial #125364247