Mary Mendini

 Walt (what he went by after he transferred from MP to Admiral Farragut Military Academy after 10th grade) was a warm, wonderful, hilarious and amazing man. He was my first date to a formal dance (ROTC Formal around Xmas in 10th  grade. After college, Walt had  been a staff photographer (with a great deal of talent) for the Watauga Democrat and then a firefighter. Walt was the Fire Chief in Kernersville  at the time of his death, and he was a husband and parent to stepdaughters who called him Dad.  His funeral was huge and fire departments statewide sent trucks and firefighters to send him off. It was one of the largest funerals I've ever attended - a tribute to the high esteem in which  he was held and the number of people who loved and would miss him.