Obituary of Thomas J. Walters

Thomas J. Walters We write with a sad heart, that Tom Walters died of heart failure on Wednesday, July 20th. He celebrated his 91st Birthday on June 24th. He was hospitalized for two days at the beginning of last week, and was released Wednesday. Tom died in his own bed within the hour of arriving back home. His son, Bob Walters, was with him. Tom was cremated Monday. A Mass of Christian Burial will be said by Rev. Msgr. Francis P. Bellew, Vicar of Dutchess County. Mass is Saturday, July 30th at 11:00 AM, St. Mary's Church, Our Lady of the Falls, 11 Clinton Avenue, Wappingers Falls, NY. If you want to pay your respects, please join us at the church Saturday morning from 10 AM to 11 AM before Mass. The church will be open for this purpose. After mass, Tom will be buried in St. Mary's Cemetery, just behind the Church. He will be laid to rest with his wife, Margaret, who died in 1990. His son, Gregory, who died in 1989 is also buried in Wappingers Falls. His son, Bob Walters, lives with his wife, Sandy, in Bronxville, NY. His only living sibling, Joan Nelson, lives with her daughter in Danbury, CT. Elizabeth Palmer, his later-life love and companion for 16 years, died in 2008. Her four children and their families live in Dutchess County. Tom was happiest when actively involved in the community. For more than 30 years he was the early Mass Lector at St. Mary's, where he also served there as a Eucharistic Minister. Tom was a Third Degree member of the Wappingers Council #1646 of the Knights of Columbus. As a Knight of the Fourth Degree with the Wappingers Assembly 770, a Fourth Degree Color Corps will stand as an Honor Guard for Tom's cremains at St. Mary's on Saturday from 10 AM until the funeral begins at 11 AM. Tom served on the Fishkill Village Board as Trustee from 1994-2007 and was Deputy Mayor from 2002-2004. He served on the Park Committee where he took pride in the constant beautification of Sarah Taylor Park. From Jim Miccio, Mayor of the Village, "He was a tireless advocate for the Village of Fishkill residents and an asset to the community." He was a member of the Police Committee. In 2004, the Village PBA honored him for his years of support and dedication to the police department. Tom was an Honorary Member of Protection Engine Company #1, Fishkill. In 2006, the FD bestowed an honorary membership to recognize his many years of support as a Fire Committee Member. For the last two years, Tom lived at a Group Home in Poughkeepsie. He was well cared-for, safe and happy. Within the last six months, Tom showed increased memory mis-placement, not debilitating, but with definite gaps, never to get better. We knew that Tom would probably have to be moved within the year. Maybe he knew it too.