Vanetta Mae Walter

“Don’t think of her as gone away, her journey’s just begun. Life holds so many facets, this earth is only one. Just think of her as resting from the sorrow and the tears, In a place of warmth and comfort, where there are no days and years. Think of how she must be wishing that we could know today, How nothing but our sadness can really pass away. And think of her as living in the hearts of those she touched. For nothing loved is ever lost, and she was loved so much.”

In the quiet early hours of April 11, 2025, Mae was visited by her beloved from heaven. No longer wishing to dance alone, she chose to follow him home, just hours after the anniversary they once shared in this world.

It is with both sadness and joy that the family of Vanetta Mae Walter announces her passing at the age of 93. Mae passed peacefully in her sleep at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Home in Belton, Missouri.

Vanetta Mae Walter was born on December 24, 1931, in Cole Camp, Missouri. She was one of eight children born to Herbert and Hulda Pritzel. On April 10, 1955, she married the love of her life, Thomas Edward Walter, at Mt. Hulda Lutheran Church in Cole Camp. They shared 63 wonderful years of marriage.

After relocating to Kansas City, Mae held a variety of jobs, including working as a nanny, but she found her true calling as the church secretary at Peace Lutheran Church, where she served faithfully until retirement.

Mae and Tom welcomed their son, Alan, in 1956, and their daughter, Cindy, in 1958. In 1968, tragedy struck when their beloved son Alan passed away at the age of 11 after a courageous battle with lymphoma at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.

Mae’s heart was filled again with the arrival of her grandchildren: Erik in 1985 and Macee in 1991. Known lovingly as “Nano,” she was a constant, loving presence in their lives. Her family recalls countless moments shaped by her unwavering devotion, her quiet strength, and her boundless love. She and Tom worked hard to ensure their family was always supported, nurtured, and loved.

Mae was deeply involved in the life of Peace Lutheran Church—not only as secretary, where she was known for her discretion and reliability—but also as a dedicated member of the choir. She and Tom were also active members of the American Legion Post 598, where she led potlucks, steak dinners, and bingo nights with joy and purpose.

Mae is survived by her grandson Erik Edmonds of Overland Park, KS; granddaughter Macee Caldwell of Independence, MO; great-granddaughters Caroline and Vivienne Edmonds; great-grandsons Whit Edmonds, Chase Caldwell, and William Caldwell; and her sister Carol Williams of Cole Camp, MO.

She is reunited in heaven with her beloved husband Tom, her parents Herbert and Hulda Pritzel, her son Alan Walter, her daughter Cynthia Cooper (Walter), and siblings Genevieve Pritzel (who died in infancy), Cletus H.J. Pritzel, Arnold H. Pritzel, Alvin A. Pritzel, Leland Pritzel, and Darlene Hesse.

A celebration of Mae’s life will be held on Monday, April 22, 2025. Visitation will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., with the funeral service beginning at 11:00 a.m., all at Peace Lutheran Church in Kansas City, Missouri. Burial will follow at Memorial Cemetery in Cole Camp, Missouri, at 3:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Peace Lutheran Church or Children’s Mercy Hospital—two places that held deep meaning in Mae’s life.