Walter was born in Minneapolis, the only son of Walter S and Esther Rea. The family moved to California in the 1930s, where Walter Jr attended Lodi Academy, graduating in just three years. He then attended Pacific Union College in Angwin, graduating in just three years in the winter of 1944 with a degree in theology.
During that time he met Helen Irwin, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, and they married in 1944.
He was called into the ministry in January of 1945 by the Central California Conference of Seventh Day Adventist, and started the first Adventist church in Lompoc.
He then served congregations in Madera and Lindsay, and was ordained on July 23, 1949. Shortly thereafter he accepted a position in Fort Myers, Florida, and followed with positions in Orlando and Jacksonville. He returned to southern California, serving congregations in Pomona, Alhambra, and Long Beach, during which he obtained two bachelor's degrees, two master's degrees, and worked on a doctorate.
In the early 1980s, Walter and Helen moved to Patterson, California, where they built a home and became part of the local farming community raising apricots, walnuts, almonds and cherries, and operated their own cherry packing operation on Sequoia Avenue.
Walter served on many boards, including the Patterson Cemetery District and the Stanislaus Council on Aging, and he also served as the foreman on the Stanislaus County Grand Jury.
Helen died in 1996 after a long illness. He married Eleanore Whitechurch in 1997, and they enjoyed 14 years together until her death in 2011.
In his obituary, Walter's grandchildren point out specific memories of him: his harmonica playing, humor, wisdom and life stories, the refrigerator full of mountain dew, the Taco Bell excursions, and his life advice always expressed in stories, poems, or song. His children will always remember his "constant (& sometimes irritating) attempts to make us better and that you never gave up on us."
During that time he met Helen Irwin, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, and they married in 1944.
He was called into the ministry in January of 1945 by the Central California Conference of Seventh Day Adventist, and started the first Adventist church in Lompoc.
He then served congregations in Madera and Lindsay, and was ordained on July 23, 1949. Shortly thereafter he accepted a position in Fort Myers, Florida, and followed with positions in Orlando and Jacksonville. He returned to southern California, serving congregations in Pomona, Alhambra, and Long Beach, during which he obtained two bachelor's degrees, two master's degrees, and worked on a doctorate.
In the early 1980s, Walter and Helen moved to Patterson, California, where they built a home and became part of the local farming community raising apricots, walnuts, almonds and cherries, and operated their own cherry packing operation on Sequoia Avenue.
Walter served on many boards, including the Patterson Cemetery District and the Stanislaus Council on Aging, and he also served as the foreman on the Stanislaus County Grand Jury.
Helen died in 1996 after a long illness. He married Eleanore Whitechurch in 1997, and they enjoyed 14 years together until her death in 2011.
In his obituary, Walter's grandchildren point out specific memories of him: his harmonica playing, humor, wisdom and life stories, the refrigerator full of mountain dew, the Taco Bell excursions, and his life advice always expressed in stories, poems, or song. His children will always remember his "constant (& sometimes irritating) attempts to make us better and that you never gave up on us."
Walter was born in Minneapolis, the only son of Walter S and Esther Rea. The family moved to California in the 1930s, where Walter Jr attended Lodi Academy, graduating in just three years. He then attended Pacific Union College in Angwin, graduating in just three years in the winter of 1944 with a degree in theology.
During that time he met Helen Irwin, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, and they married in 1944.
He was called into the ministry in January of 1945 by the Central California Conference of Seventh Day Adventist, and started the first Adventist church in Lompoc.
He then served congregations in Madera and Lindsay, and was ordained on July 23, 1949. Shortly thereafter he accepted a position in Fort Myers, Florida, and followed with positions in Orlando and Jacksonville. He returned to southern California, serving congregations in Pomona, Alhambra, and Long Beach, during which he obtained two bachelor's degrees, two master's degrees, and worked on a doctorate.
In the early 1980s, Walter and Helen moved to Patterson, California, where they built a home and became part of the local farming community raising apricots, walnuts, almonds and cherries, and operated their own cherry packing operation on Sequoia Avenue.
Walter served on many boards, including the Patterson Cemetery District and the Stanislaus Council on Aging, and he also served as the foreman on the Stanislaus County Grand Jury.
Helen died in 1996 after a long illness. He married Eleanore Whitechurch in 1997, and they enjoyed 14 years together until her death in 2011.
In his obituary, Walter's grandchildren point out specific memories of him: his harmonica playing, humor, wisdom and life stories, the refrigerator full of mountain dew, the Taco Bell excursions, and his life advice always expressed in stories, poems, or song. His children will always remember his "constant (& sometimes irritating) attempts to make us better and that you never gave up on us."
During that time he met Helen Irwin, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, and they married in 1944.
He was called into the ministry in January of 1945 by the Central California Conference of Seventh Day Adventist, and started the first Adventist church in Lompoc.
He then served congregations in Madera and Lindsay, and was ordained on July 23, 1949. Shortly thereafter he accepted a position in Fort Myers, Florida, and followed with positions in Orlando and Jacksonville. He returned to southern California, serving congregations in Pomona, Alhambra, and Long Beach, during which he obtained two bachelor's degrees, two master's degrees, and worked on a doctorate.
In the early 1980s, Walter and Helen moved to Patterson, California, where they built a home and became part of the local farming community raising apricots, walnuts, almonds and cherries, and operated their own cherry packing operation on Sequoia Avenue.
Walter served on many boards, including the Patterson Cemetery District and the Stanislaus Council on Aging, and he also served as the foreman on the Stanislaus County Grand Jury.
Helen died in 1996 after a long illness. He married Eleanore Whitechurch in 1997, and they enjoyed 14 years together until her death in 2011.
In his obituary, Walter's grandchildren point out specific memories of him: his harmonica playing, humor, wisdom and life stories, the refrigerator full of mountain dew, the Taco Bell excursions, and his life advice always expressed in stories, poems, or song. His children will always remember his "constant (& sometimes irritating) attempts to make us better and that you never gave up on us."
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