Richard Joseph Walters

Richard J. Walters, age 88, died peacefully in his sleep at 7 pm on Thursday, September 26th, at Mother Angeline McCrory Manner in Columbus, Ohio, after a 17-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was born Richard J. Wachowiak on February 16th, 1936, in Gary, Indiana, to Katherine and Joseph Wachowiak. After graduating from Froebel High School as Valedictorian in 1952, he studied mechanical engineering at Purdue University and graduated in 1956 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. Richard went on to complete a Master of Physics at the University of Chicago in 1963. He met Marcella Juzwiak in 1958, and they got married on July 2nd, 1960. Marcella and Richard went on to have a beautiful sixty-four-year long marriage, full of love. The couple legally changed their last name to Walters in 1982. Richard was very active in all areas of his life. He was a hard-worker, excellent husband, great dad, and even better grandpa. Richard Walters was predeceased by his parents, extended family, and son Richard Wachowiak. His legacy lives on through his wife, Marcella, daughters, Katherine Walters and Mary Frankovich, and seven grandchildren, Richard “Rick” Wachowiak, Jennifer Wachowiak, Margret “Maggie” Wachowiak, Richard Wisniewski, Abigail “Abby” Frankovich Armor, Susan “Suzie” Frankovich, and Nicholas Eklund. Visitation will be held at Fagen-Miller Funeral Home in St. John, Indiana on Monday, October 7th from 4 to 7 pm. The funeral mass will be at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Schererville, Indiana, on Tuesday, October 8th at 10:30am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, a cause that is very important to Richard and Marcella Walters, their children, and grandchildren. 

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Richard Joseph Walters, please visit our Tree Store.