Walt was born to Lonnie "Bill" and Laura Henderson in Grapevine, Texas. His parents; brother, James, and sister, Darlene, preceded him in death.
When Walter was three years old his family moved to Grand Junction, CO, where he lived for the rest of his life except when he was stationed in Albuquerque, NM, for four years. He graduated from Central High School in 1957. He attended Mesa Junior College for one year, but his love of working on diesel engines became his livelihood until he was drafted and chose the Air Force. While he was stationed in Albuquerque he met his future wife, Janice Chandler, at a Baptist Church. Six weeks later they became engaged and married the following year on July 4, 1964.
Walt was discharged from the Air Force, January, 1966, then returned to Grand Junction to work at Schooley Diesel Co. In 1971 he started working at Cummins Rocky Mt. in Grand Junction. He retired in 2005 having worked for Cummins Rocky MT for 34 years. During those years he became a shop foreman and moved into Territory Manager of the big Cummins engines. He worked closely with Poma Ski selling diesel engines as back up for the ski lifts. He would oversee the installations of the engines and at times was flown to Canada and Reno to help with the installations. He had the unique ability to listen to an engine and know what was wrong with it.
He became a Christian in his youth which influenced his entire life. He was an ordained deacon, always active in church. He was a great family man and loved his wife, daughters, and later, grandchildren immensely. He enjoyed woodworking, gardening, and deer and elk hunting. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's in his early sixties, which did not become a problem until his late seventies.
We give thanks for his life and will miss him forever. He had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to joke at times.
When Walter was three years old his family moved to Grand Junction, CO, where he lived for the rest of his life except when he was stationed in Albuquerque, NM, for four years. He graduated from Central High School in 1957. He attended Mesa Junior College for one year, but his love of working on diesel engines became his livelihood until he was drafted and chose the Air Force. While he was stationed in Albuquerque he met his future wife, Janice Chandler, at a Baptist Church. Six weeks later they became engaged and married the following year on July 4, 1964.
Walt was discharged from the Air Force, January, 1966, then returned to Grand Junction to work at Schooley Diesel Co. In 1971 he started working at Cummins Rocky Mt. in Grand Junction. He retired in 2005 having worked for Cummins Rocky MT for 34 years. During those years he became a shop foreman and moved into Territory Manager of the big Cummins engines. He worked closely with Poma Ski selling diesel engines as back up for the ski lifts. He would oversee the installations of the engines and at times was flown to Canada and Reno to help with the installations. He had the unique ability to listen to an engine and know what was wrong with it.
He became a Christian in his youth which influenced his entire life. He was an ordained deacon, always active in church. He was a great family man and loved his wife, daughters, and later, grandchildren immensely. He enjoyed woodworking, gardening, and deer and elk hunting. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's in his early sixties, which did not become a problem until his late seventies.
We give thanks for his life and will miss him forever. He had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to joke at times.
Walt was born to Lonnie "Bill" and Laura Henderson in Grapevine, Texas. His parents; brother, James, and sister, Darlene, preceded him in death.
When Walter was three years old his family moved to Grand Junction, CO, where he lived for the rest of his life except when he was stationed in Albuquerque, NM, for four years. He graduated from Central High School in 1957. He attended Mesa Junior College for one year, but his love of working on diesel engines became his livelihood until he was drafted and chose the Air Force. While he was stationed in Albuquerque he met his future wife, Janice Chandler, at a Baptist Church. Six weeks later they became engaged and married the following year on July 4, 1964.
Walt was discharged from the Air Force, January, 1966, then returned to Grand Junction to work at Schooley Diesel Co. In 1971 he started working at Cummins Rocky Mt. in Grand Junction. He retired in 2005 having worked for Cummins Rocky MT for 34 years. During those years he became a shop foreman and moved into Territory Manager of the big Cummins engines. He worked closely with Poma Ski selling diesel engines as back up for the ski lifts. He would oversee the installations of the engines and at times was flown to Canada and Reno to help with the installations. He had the unique ability to listen to an engine and know what was wrong with it.
He became a Christian in his youth which influenced his entire life. He was an ordained deacon, always active in church. He was a great family man and loved his wife, daughters, and later, grandchildren immensely. He enjoyed woodworking, gardening, and deer and elk hunting. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's in his early sixties, which did not become a problem until his late seventies.
We give thanks for his life and will miss him forever. He had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to joke at times.
When Walter was three years old his family moved to Grand Junction, CO, where he lived for the rest of his life except when he was stationed in Albuquerque, NM, for four years. He graduated from Central High School in 1957. He attended Mesa Junior College for one year, but his love of working on diesel engines became his livelihood until he was drafted and chose the Air Force. While he was stationed in Albuquerque he met his future wife, Janice Chandler, at a Baptist Church. Six weeks later they became engaged and married the following year on July 4, 1964.
Walt was discharged from the Air Force, January, 1966, then returned to Grand Junction to work at Schooley Diesel Co. In 1971 he started working at Cummins Rocky Mt. in Grand Junction. He retired in 2005 having worked for Cummins Rocky MT for 34 years. During those years he became a shop foreman and moved into Territory Manager of the big Cummins engines. He worked closely with Poma Ski selling diesel engines as back up for the ski lifts. He would oversee the installations of the engines and at times was flown to Canada and Reno to help with the installations. He had the unique ability to listen to an engine and know what was wrong with it.
He became a Christian in his youth which influenced his entire life. He was an ordained deacon, always active in church. He was a great family man and loved his wife, daughters, and later, grandchildren immensely. He enjoyed woodworking, gardening, and deer and elk hunting. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's in his early sixties, which did not become a problem until his late seventies.
We give thanks for his life and will miss him forever. He had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to joke at times.
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