Walter E. Wiltermood

Walter E. Wiltermood, age 87, of Grants Pass, died Sunday, June 14, 2009 at an adult foster home.

A memorial service will be at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 20, 2009 at Merlin Community Baptist Church with Pastor Everett Denniston officiating. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Merlin Community Baptist Church, 361 Galice Road, Merlin, Oregon 97532.

He was born June 26, 1921 in Kildare, Oklahoma to Arthur & Blanche Wiltermood. In 1932 he moved with his family from Kildare to Murphy. He attended Sunday school at Murphy Chapel where he accepted Christ as his Savior at vacation Bible school in the two-room schoolhouse with Dorothy Haskins as his teacher. At age 13 he was baptized in the Applegate River. In 1938 he moved to Grants Pass. From August 1942 to November 1945 he served in the United States Air Force as a chaplain’s assistant. Most of his time was spent overseas in England, North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Egypt, and Assam. From 1945 to 1953 he was employed by Tyrell Carner Dodge & Plymouth. In 1959 he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Oregon College and in 1962 acquired a Masters degree. From 1958 to 1973 he taught elementary education and from 1973 to June 1983 he was a principal. After his retirement he spent winters living in Desert Hot Springs, California until 1999.

In 1940 he joined the First Baptist Church and was active in Young People’s fellowship BYPU and after his military discharge he served as a junior high teacher and counselor, Beacon Sunday school class teacher for young married couples, and a deacon for many years under Pastor Terry Fraser and Pastor Stan Brown. He enjoyed favorite services of Wednesday night bible and prayer meeting and Saturday 7 am men’s bible study with Jim Christian as teacher.

Survivors include a son, Gary Wiltermood of Garden City, Idaho; a daughter, Cynthia D. Fox-Course of Newberg; a brother, Loyd A. Wiltermood and wife Peggy of Grants Pass; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, M. Lillian Wiltermood in December 2000; his second wife, Frances Russell Wiltermood in November 2005; and two brothers, Carl H. Wiltermood and Harold Wiltermood.