Erik Arthur Walter

MADISON – Erik Arthur Walter passed away peacefully and comfortably under kind and loving care at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021 in Scarborough, after living many years with ailing medical conditions and suffering from Vascular Dementia.

Dad was born in Madison on April 21, 1940 to E. Dorothy Walter (Moran) and Erik Oscar Carl Walter. Dad’s father, Erik Oscar Carl Walter, was killed before his birth in a work accident at Great Northern Paper Mill in Madison on Jan. 6, 1940. Later on, beginning in 1948, he was additionally raised by his stepfather, Henry Moran.

Dad grew up and attended schools in Madison while living across the Kennebec River in Anson. He graduated from Madison Area Memorial High School in 1958. While attending his high school years, he was a proud and practicing member of the Future Farmers of America organization.

Dad married our Mom, Martha Ann Thompson Walter, in Madison on Oct. 15, 1960, having been married for 60 years. Mom predeceased Dad recently, by passing peacefully at home with Hospice and family care on Jan. 14, 2021 from Alzheimer’s.

Dad began working at farming at a young age, filling in much of his free time working with horses and tractors to earn extra money for himself and family. At a time, he also worked at Christopher’s Drug Store stamping tobacco cigarettes. Once graduated, he began working shift work, full-time at Kennebec River Pulp and Paper Co on one of the paper machines. It was during this time that he and Mom purchased a small farm, which he would manage during the day between shift work.

After we girls were born, our Dad and Mom bought our grandparent’s dairy farm in Madison in 1969 and they operated the Holstein dairy until their retirement. Later, with Mom alongside him, he built, fine finished and sold a number of unique log homes from their farm’s properties and others at East Carry Pond. For many years, he also took on private backhoe work and harvested wood from their properties, creating a processing plant for years of firewood sales.

Dad had a dream to fly and own his own plane. After much study, while farming his own dairy, he finally achieved his Solo Flight Shirt Cutting achievement and then purchased his blue and white Cessna 150. During many busy afternoon milkings, Dad would come up missing, then found when he appeared barnstorming overhead. Sometimes with his coonhound, Sounder, in the passenger seat.

Dad was honorably discharged after serving in the United States Army Reserves in 1965. Additionally, he was a 60-year member of the Euclid Masonic Lodge #194 in Madison. Dad was an active Somerset Community ASC Committee Member, an Agway Board Member for many years, an MDIF&W Landowner allowing many friends, family and neighbors to hunt, trap and use their farmland, American Tree Farm Member, a lifetime member of the Skowhegan State Fair Association, an Abnaki Snow Riders Club Member and local trail landowner, a lifetime IF&W license holder and Maine Farm Bureau Member.

All of us who knew Dad closely knew that he liked three things most of all, especially when he was not working on one project or planning another. Food, trout fishing and dogs. He had a love and passion for all three. Often he could be distracted from his current task by teasing him about a sweet treat, a dry fly or a Golden Retriever.

He enjoyed trout fishing in beaver bogs and spending time at camp on East Carry Pond, four wheeling in the roughest places, hauling gravel on camp roads or tending to his many flower gardens at home or at camp. He with Mom loved traveling with family and friends across the country and up to Alaska, including countless Canadian wilderness fly-in fishing and snowmobile trips. His social personality attracted many new friends wherever they would go.

In Dad’s more laid back years he enjoyed woodworking projects in his planer garage, including planters, tables, bird feeders and anything else our Mom might dream up.

Besides his parents and our Mom, Dad was predeceased by his stepfather, Henry Moran; his brother, Clifton Reginald Walter; and one grandson, Capt. Benjamin Robert Cross.

Additionally, he is survived by his three daughters, Paula Ann Walter Hughes (and husband William) of Belgrade, Valerie Louise Walter Cross (and her husband Robert) of Bryant Pond, and Vanessa Dorothy Walter Cayford (and her partner John A. Plourde) of Madison; her grandchildren, Matthew Curtis Bowman of Belgrade, Ryan Burns Cross (and wife Jacqueline) of Queensbury, N.Y., Megan Ann Foster of Charleston, Samantha Jonness Reid-Oliver (and husband Jesse) of Skowhegan, and MacKenzie Janna Cayford of East Madison; four great-grandchildren, Jaci Ann Foster of Charleston, Allison Grace Cross of Queensbury, N.Y., Everlee June Reid-Oliver of Skowhegan, and Caroline Grace Cross of Queensbury, N.Y.; one sister-in-law, Joyce Smith Walter of Carrollton, Ga.; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Visiting hours for both Dad and Mom joined will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, May 22, Giberson’s Funeral Home, 40 Maple St., Madison. A funeral service will take place immediately after, starting at 1 p.m., Christ Community Fellowship, 43 Maple St., Madison. Interment will follow the service at Forest Hill Cemetery in Madison. Family and friends are invited to gather at Dad and Mom’s home immediately following their burial for a luncheon and reunion.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Giberson Funeral Home and Cremation Services. To leave a condolence for the family and to view the online obituary, please visit http://www.gibersonfuneralhome.com


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