Fred C. Walz

Fred Walz, 76, of Vernon, loving husband of Barbara (Narkawicz) Walz, peacefully passed away on Monday, (January 21, 2008) at Rockville General Hospital surrounded by his devoted and caring family. Born in Hartford on November 21, 1931, he had resided in East Hartford for 36 years prior to moving to Vernon five years ago. Fred was a graduate of William H. Hall High School in West Hartford, Class of 1950 and was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean War. Prior to his retirement, Pratt & Whitney Aircraft of East Hartford employed him for 32 years. Fred was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America and an avid bowler who bowled in the SNET Pioneer Bowling League at Silver Lane Bowling Lane, East Hartford. Fred was also a former baseball coach in East Hartford where he coached teams in Little League, 13-Year Old Transition League, and the Alumni Baseball League. Fred was a long-time loyal fan of the Atlanta Braves baseball team (formerly the Boston and Milwaukee Braves) and the New York Giants football team. Fred had a passion for caring and polishing his automobiles and landscaping his lawn, but his greatest love was being a dedicated husband and caring father and grandfather to his family. Fred was predeceased by his father, Frederick C. Walz, his mother, Mildred (DaBoll) Walz, and his birth mother, Lucy (Nuthmann) Walz who died at his birth. Besides his beloved wife, Barbara, of 55 years, Fred is survived by his five loving children, Fred Walz of Broad Brook, Rick Walz and his wife Barb of East Hartford, Dan Walz and his wife Chris of Hebron, Karen Phillips and her husband Alan of East Windsor, Cindy Washburne and her husband Clyde of Hampton; a sister, Audrey Clay and her husband Warren of Vernon; 18 special grandchildren, Freddy, Lauren, Barrett, Chelsea, Richie, Eric and Eric, Kelly, Danny, Kyle, Andrew, Kendra, Kaleena, Vinnie, Alan, Michael, Stephanie, and Trish; four adored great-grandchildren, Kailyn, Joshua, Vanessa, Alex; two nieces, Chris and Bethany. Funeral service will be Friday, January 25, with a celebration of his life at 11 a.m. at the D'ESOPO-East Hartford Memorial Chapel, 30 Carter Street, East Hartford. Burial with Military Honors will be at Silver Lane Cemetery, East Hartford. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home chapel on Thursday, January 24, from 4-7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Fred's memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 279 New Britain Road, Suite 5, Kensington, CT 06037 or to the Parkinson's Disease Association, 27 Allendale Road, North Haven, CT 06473. For any on-line expressions of sympathy to the family please visit www.desopo.com.