Walter Thode, 93, of Sherman, TX, and formerly of LaPorte, died on Feb. 24, 2010, at the Wilson N. Jones Medical Center in Sherman.
He was born May 18, 1916, in LaPorte to Arthur C. and Alma (Manns) Thode.
Walter served in the U.S. Army as an artillery instructor during World War II. He worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 34 years thereafter. He had a passion for all sports and was an avid golfer and bowler. Walter worked for the LaPorte Recreation Department as a Little League supervisor from 1963-1977 and was honored for his service with his own annual tournament: The Walt Thode Tourney, which is still ongoing. He was inducted into the LaPorte Old-Timers Baseball Association Hall of Fame in 1981. Walter was a member of First United Methodist Church and Elks and Moose Lodges for many years.
On Aug. 8, 1938, in LaPorte, he married Edna Euler. They had been married for 50 years when Edna preceded him in death on Aug. 12, 1988.
Walter was also preceded in death by his parents; four siblings, Art, Clarey, John and Norman Thode; and his son-in-law Frank Bogolin.
He is survived by daughter Sara Bogolin, whom he and his wife adopted in 1951 and who lives in Sherman; sisters, Dorothy Geyer of LaPorte and Gladys Spencer of Battle Creek, MI; brother, Ed Thode of Denver, CO; two granddaughters, Heather (Berg) Slavens and husband Mark of Houston, TX, and Dawn (Berg) Alagood and husband Scott of Pilot Point, TX; and four great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at Cutler Funeral Home, LaPorte, on Saturday, March 6, at 4 p.m. A visitation with the family will be held on Saturday prior to the service at 3 p.m. Cremains will be laid to rest at a family burial at 11 a.m. Saturday at Patton Cemetery, LaPorte.
Memorials may be made to the LaPorte Park and Recreation Department Little League Program, 250 Pine Lake Ave., LaPorte, IN 46350.
Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP, as well as at http://www.cutlerfuneral.com/.
