Oscar Woodrow Walch's Obituary
Oscar Woodrow Walch 98, passed away peacefully, March 27, 2019 at his home in Provo, Utah with family by his side.
Oscar was born on March 10, 1921 to Charles Albert and Emma Weech Walch in Pine Grove, a few miles from Elgin Oregon, spent his youth in Rupert, Idaho. He went to Pershing Elementary School, Rupert High School, and Eastern Oregon College in La Grande, Oregon. Earned his Bachelors of Science degree from Brigham Young University and his Masters of Science degree with emphasis in Industrial Psychology from the University of Utah.
Oscar served in the U.S. Navy assigned to the U.S.S. Hornet. He worked as an administrative assistant in the W. H. Groves Latter Day Saints Hospital in Salt Lake City. He also worked as an administrator of the Eldred Sunset Manor Hospital for the chronically ill in Provo, Utah.
While in college he met and married his sweetheart, Bernice Harriet Kunkel for time and all eternity on September 22, 1949 in the Salt Lake City temple.
Some of Oscar's greatest work was through church service which included a mission to New Zealand, and a mission to the Fiji Islands with Bernice. Oscar was proud of his service as a scout master, stake seventy presidency, executive secretary, assistant stake clerk, stake building facilities representative and many years serving in the local tri-stake Family History Center.
Oscar traveled the globe three times: first with the US Navy, second as a missionary to New Zealand and third with Bernice, traveling home from their mission in Fiji.
Vivid memories of Oscar include: many scary Halloweens for trick or treaters, driving the neighbor kids in his own school bus to Farrer Junior High, bus rides for the residents of the Eldred Hospital as well as many, many 16mm movies. Canning with Bernice into the wee hours of the morning, his thoughtfulness and care for all in activities at the Oak Hills Stake center, taking down the orange rims at the church when basketball season ended, snow plowing the neighborhood with his bob tail dump truck and plow, camping trips with his grandchildren in the motorhome, fixing anything and everything, building his own home at 1378 Locust Lane, the famous Yellowstone vacation with the school bus and all the cousins, the Christmas bb gun shooting range in the basement, Saturday morning pancakes, chocolate milk from the dairy, BYU mis-match ice cream in the big 5 gallon buckets, especially Oscar’s constant appreciative nature as he was cared for as his health declined.
Oscar was preceded in death by his parents, siblings: Carol, Lloyd (Lila), Val (Mary Lou), Alpha (John Durbin), Richard (Fay still going strong in life), Joseph (Jewel), wife Bernice, sons Erich and Warren.
Oscar is survived by: sister-in-law Faye (wife of Richard), son, Bernell, Provo, daughters: Tana Hunter, Rexburg, Idaho. Zina (Sarun) Johnson, Provo, Anita (Mark) Allen, Highland, Utah, daughter in law, Veronica Showing Walch (wife of Warren), Tehachapi California. 13 grandchildren: private Hunter (private), Stephen Hunter, Christina Hunter, Erica Robinson (Jesse), Krysta Pace, (Jeremy), Rebecca Tanton (Chase), Zachary Johnson (Caitlin), Eli Johnson (Alexa), Shaelyn Allen, Diana Bateman (Brandon), Erich Allen, Andra Lee Allen, and Briane Allen; 16 great grandchildren: private Hunter, private Hunter, Oakley Robinson, Seth Robinson, Jayne Robinson, Mick Robinson, Bradley Pace, Tyson Pace, Jocelyn Pace, Mallory Pace, Bronson Tanton, Camryn Tanton, Brock Tanton, Conrad Tanton, baby Tanton, Tate Johnson, and Mae Johnson; 4 great grand dogs: Chloe, Mocha, Shadow, private ; 7 great grand chickens: Shovel, Amelia Eggheart, Mayflower, Shadow, Chili, Jalapeno, Queenie.
The family express deep appreciation for the Hospice teams over the years who helped us care for Oscar through many Lazarus-like experiences, especially Sue Bergin, Robyne Peabody, Burt Rowley, Paul Roberts, Rosalind Hilkey, Chelsea Aode, and Dr Gary Garner MD.
Oscar’s funeral will be held at 11:00AM on Tuesday April 2, 2019. A viewing will precede the funeral from 9:30 to 10:30AM at the Oak Hills Seventh Ward building, 1038 North 1200 East, Provo, Utah. The funeral assistance is provided by Premier Funeral Services, for a full obituary or to leave condolences, please visit their website, https://www.premierfuneral.com
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