Published: May 15, 2008 03:22 pm            

Jack C. Walts

Jack C. Walts, 89; World War II PT Boat commander

Funeral services for Jack C. Walts, 89, of Norcross, Ga., formerly of Corydon, will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 18, at Gehlbach and Royse Funeral Home, with burial at Cedar Hill Cemetery. He died Monday, May 12, 2008, at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Atlanta, of complications arising from a fall in 2004. He passed peacefully accompanied at bedside by his three surviving children.

Born Jan. 6, 1919, as an only child of the late Harlan and Myrtle Walts of Georgetown, (named in the early 1800s after a settler named George Walts). He went on to have an active, full and enriched career and life, much of it serving as the loving respected patriarch of the Walts family. He graduated from Georgetown High School in 1935 two years early at age 16 (13 in class), and from Indiana University in 1939 where he majored in music, was a member of Acacia Fraternity, played first chair trumpet in IU’s Marching 100, was student manager on the basketball team and had his own campus dance band.

Following graduation, he taught music at Edinburgh and Middleton (IN) high schools in the early 1940s before becoming involved in the training program of the Allison Engine Division of General Motors helping train pilots and mechanics on P-38 Lightning fighter aircraft. In 1942 he enlisted in the United States Navy stretching the truth a bit about his extensive prior nautical and boating experiences in the oceans of Southern Indiana in order to be assigned to the PT (patrol torpedo) Boat Branch of the Navy. He was commissioned Ensign and became Commanding Officer of PT 144 doing overseas duty in the Philippines Islands during 1944-45. He always said he missed destiny by only 35 PT boat numbers (i.e., President John F. Kennedy served as Commanding Officer during World War II in the Pacific on PT 109). After many successful missions, he claimed his biggest wartime accomplishment was “getting all his crew home safely at the end of the war.”

After serving in World War II, he returned to Indiana and accepted a job as band director at Corydon High School. He then served as vice president of Hadden Films of Louisville, a distributor of 16mm movie projectors and films. In 1955 he joined Keller Manufacturing Company of Corydon, a manufacturer of hardwood dining and bedroom furniture where he remained for 37 years advancing through numerous positions including director of advertising and special accounts, vice president of marketing and consultant following his retirement in the middle 1980s. And in early 2004, just months following his injury and 12 years following his retirement from Keller’s and the furniture industry, he received word he had been selected by the International Home Furnishings Representatives Association (IHFRA) as recipient of the Association’s prestigious “Pillar of the Industry” Award, accepted in his absence by his three children at the April High Point (NC) Furniture Market.

During his retirement years he (and Margaret up to her death) spent considerable time traveling back and forth between Corydon and their home away from home in Boynton Beach, Fla. where he followed his passions of IU basketball, golf, poker playing at the Corydon Fisherman’s Club, handicapping the horses, evening martinis and attending performances at the Kravitz Center for the Performing Arts (ala Palm Beach Kennel Club).

He was an amazing, loving caring person, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and sincere friend. He touched virtually everyone he met. It can truly be said Jack left this earth with many more friends than acquaintances. He was loved by all his numerous care workers in Atlanta during his illnesses since 2004 and was even selected as a “poster person” by the Norcross, Ga. YMCA in one of their promotional pieces in 2007. He was very supportive in private individual ways to all his children and offspring. May Jack rest in eternal peace and happiness reunited with his wife Margaret.

Survivors include three children, Thomas H. Walts, Northville, Mich., Terry A. Walts, Atlanta, and Jill A. Walts, Norcross, Ga.; six grandchildren, Thomas “Clay” Walts, Atlanta, Mandy J. Walts Lark, Northville, Mich., Cameron A. Walts, Atlanta, Jeremy C. Walts, Chicago, Brandon E. Walts, Minneapolis, and Whitney A. Walts Eddy, Norcross, Ga.; and seven great-grandchildren, Jack C. and Christine J. Lark, Northville, Mich., Mariel L. and Troy C. Walts, Atlanta, Michael (Brooks) Eddy, Norcross, Ga.; and Elizabeth (Reese) Walts and an additional great granddaughter due in July, both of Minneapolis.

He lost his loving wife of close to 61 years, the late Margaret Jane Thomas Walts of Corydon, in October 2000. He had been living with his daughter Jill and near family members in Atlanta since his injury in 2004.

The Walts family plans two viewings and visitations. One in Atlanta today, Thursday, May 15, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the H.M. Patterson Funeral Home located near Oglethorpe University at 4550 Peachtree Road, and the second in Corydon, on Saturday, May 17, from 3 to 8 p.m. at Gehlbach and Royse Funeral Home.

Condolences can be forwarded to the family c/o Jill Walts at 3691 Wedgewood Chase, Norcross, GA 30092.

        

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