Frederick Brian Walter, 91, of Missoula, passed away on August 16 at his home in Grant Greek Hills in Missoula of natural causes. He was an excellent father, grandfather, and husband, and he lived a long and remarkable life.

Brian was born on October 4, 1934 in Sheridan, Montana, to Charles Walter Jr. and Marybelle Grose Walter. Brian is one of many grandchildren of Montana pioneer Charles Walter Sr. and his wife Eleonore Legris Walter, who owned and operated the Charles Walter Store in Sheridan that is still in business today, and under the management of family members. As a young boy Brian lived with his parents and older brother Charles Layne (aka Spud) on Mill Street in Sheridan and was educated in Sheridan Public Schools. His childhood was filled with the adventures of living in a small Montana ranching town; hunting, fishing, camping, sports, FFA, and working in the family store. Brian was a particularly enthusiastic baseball player, and he played catcher on the Sheridan Town team in his high school and early college years.

In 1952, Brian started at Montana State College (now University), and he graduated in 1956 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. Brian’s father Charlie passed away in 1955 while he was attending college. After graduation and a brief stint in the army, Brian secured employment with The Texas Company (then Texaco now Chevron) in 1956, and after spending a short period of time at the refinery in Casper Wyoming he was transferred to the Lawrenceville, Illinois refinery. There he met and married Rose Ann Schultheis who lived in nearby Vincennes Indiana on July 4, 1958. Their first child Andrew Charles (aka Andy) was born in December 1959 in Lawrenceville, where the family continued to reside until Texaco transferred him to Houston in 1960, where sons Ben and Martin were born in 1961 and 1963.

Houston was home for the family for over 20 years where their lives centered around the local Catholic Grade School and Church, sports, boy scouts, hunting, and fishing primarily. Brian coached his sons at the local Little League for many years where he also volunteered as groundskeeper. All three boys attended and graduated from Strake Jesuit High School. Andy was an Eagle Scout and went on to study at the University of Texas, however he was killed in an auto accident in Austin Texas in 1986. Ben graduated from Texas Tech University and Martin from Texas A&M.

In 1982, Texaco offered Brian a position as Project Manager in the UK. Brian and Rose Ann moved to London, England where they lived there for 12 years, followed by two years in Saudi Arabia, prior to returning to Houston and then Missoula permanently for retirement. This allowed the entire family to spend significant time visiting and travelling overseas, and it was a high point in Brian and Rose Ann’s life. Rose Ann died in Missoula in 2009. After Rose Ann’s death, Brian’s companion has been Marcie Timmons of Missoula.

Survivors include: two sons Ben Walter of Portland Maine and Martin Walter of Bucyrus Kansas and their families, including two daughter-in- laws Cathy Walter and Donna Walter respectively, and four granddaughters Isabel Walter of Boston Massachusetts, Iris Walter of Portland Maine, Jessica Walter of Georgetown Texas, and Andi Walter McIntosh of Northglenn Colorado. Additional survivors include Spud’s two daughters, Terry Walter Crump of Somers Montana and Megan Walter Buls of Kalispell Montana, and stepdaughter A’Lisa Scott Frey of Missoula. Brian had numerous other cousins and friends throughout Montana that he enjoyed visiting with occasionally.

Visitation will be on Wed. September 9th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Garden City Funeral Home in Missoula followed by Mass on Thurs. September 10th at 11:00 a.m. at St Francis Xavier in Missoula. Burial will be Fri. September 11th at 11:00 a.m. at Sheridan Cemetery.