Walter Charles Medhurst III's Obituary
Walter Charles Medhurst III passed peacefully into the arms of his Savior, Jesus Christ, March 18, 2023. He was born in The Bronx, NY, August 17, 1941 and spent his formative years in Danbury, CT.
He preferred to be called Wally, a name inspired by the heft of the vintage cleaner, Big Wally. Indeed, he was an imposing man who fit perfectly in the racks of the five submarines he rode during his 23 year Navy career. He also enjoyed the handle, “Bullsnipe,” code for one who works below the decks of a ship. Without a doubt, he was in his element manipulating valves in a hot, lonely engine room with cup of Joe in hand. But, most notably, he was saluted as “Master Chief.”
Wally was truly a Man for all Seasons. Armed with an advanced degree in business and a mechanical mind, he had three successful careers in the U.S. Navy, Pacific Gas & Electric, and Marion County FL Building Department. He was a jack of all trades and a master of all. There was nothing he couldn’t fix or a problem he couldn’t solve. His real passion was cars. Since a young man, he breathed life into many a neglected vehicle. His last projects were his finest. He restored his 1949 Studebaker truck into a modern electronic miracle wrapped in a creamy pallet with charcoal accents. But, his piece de resistance was his transformation of the plain blue ‘86 Cutlass with T-tops into a hot Hurst Olds with more style and gumption than the original Hurst model.
He will remain forever in the hearts of his wife and soulmate, Paulette; his daughters, Wendy, Debbie, Mechelle, and Becky, as well as his former wife, Alexandria, and of course, his stepchildren, Allan and Alexandra.
“Eternal Father, strong to save…Oh Father hear an humble prayer…Thus evermore shall rise to Thee, Glad hymns of praise from land and sea! Amen.”
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