Walter Fenton
Obituary
Walter Marion Fenton, 96, died on June
11, 2017, at Schowalter Villa, Hesston. He was born Aug. 22, 1920, in
Palmyra, Missouri, to Clyde and Emma Shank Fenton. His siblings were
Lewis, Esther (Hathaway), Helen (Coleman), Florence (Clark) and Mary
(Clark). He moved with his family to Harvey County, returning to
Missouri as a young man to work on the family farm.
He attended Hesston College, where he
met Lois Kanagy, marrying her Dec. 15, 1953. Lois died February 11,
2006. Walter and Lois had seven children, seven grandchildren and one
great-grandson - Curt (Sarah Buller) and sons Joseph and Mark
(Kathryn Hamilton) and their son Lucas; Glen; Willard (Kathy
Fenton-Miller) and Solomon and Emma; Joanna (Gregg Friesen) and
Rebecca and Kendall; Dwayne (Mariann Burmeier) and Emily; Wesley, who
died in childhood; and Joe (Annette Wyse) and Grant and Hannah. He is
also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Walter and Lois lived and farmed near
Philadelphia, Missouri. Walter also worked in farm and land
conservation as a bulldozer operator. Upon retirement, Walter and
Lois served as volunteers with Mennonite Voluntary Service in Crystal
Lake, Illinois and Wichita. They moved to Hesston in 1997, enjoying
life as part of the Schowalter Villa community.
Walter was a committed and involved
member of Pea Ridge Mennonite Church, Philadelphia, Missouri, and
most recently Whitestone Mennonite Church, Hesston. Walter was a
committed and loving caregiver for Lois in her later years as her
health declined. He also helped his fellow Villa residents, pushing
many of them on wheelchair rides around the Villa and Dyck Arboretum.
Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. June 30,
2017, at the Schowalter Villa Chapel. A memorial service will be held
at 10:30 a.m. July 1, 2017 at Schowalter Villa Chapel. Interment of
cremains will be at a later date at Pea Ridge Mennonite Cemetery,
Philadelphia, Missouri.
Memorials may be made to Schowalter
Villa or Dyck Arboretum.
