Final Salute

Lt. Cmdr. Walter I. Anderson USN (Ret.) passed away peacefully on April 5, 2025, at the age of 90 with his loving children at his side.

Walter was born May 11, 1934, in Chicago, IL, the second child of Karl and Astrid Anderson. Walter was preceded in death by his loving wife Jean, by his parents Karl and Astrid, his sister Martha Gordon, and daughter Karen Stratton.

Left to cherish his memory are his children, Steven Anderson (Clara) of St. Louis, and Linda Anderson of San Francisco. Walter had eight grandchildren: Melissa Callahan (Ryan), Stacey Willenborg (Mike), Mallory Hylton (Ryan), Rachel Shaffer (Kevin), Taylor Stratton, Joseph Stratton Jr., Bailey Prather (Rick) and Natalie Stratton. Additionally, he had 10 great-grandchildren: Myles and Sydney (Mallory’s children); Kenna, Kara, Samantha, Kai and Dean (Rachel’s children); and Riley, Ellie and Sawyer (Melissa’s children). He had numerous nieces and nephews with whom he kept in touch over the years, including: Dean Gordon, James Gordon, Carolyn Putzer, Annette Ciolek, Darlene Culver, and Duane Culver.

Walter embraced his Swedish roots, and he shared that love with his family. As a boy and young man in Chicago, he actively participated in the Vasa Order of America and Vasa Order of America Junior Clubs, which were at the time a fraternal order for Swedish immigrants and provided a Swedish community-based social life and activities for his family.  Later in life he resumed studying Swedish, becoming fluent and thereby easily maintaining contact with extended family in Sweden. He visited Sweden with his children in 2015 and 2017, making important family introductions to last through the younger generations.

During high school, he participated in the swimming team, the bowling team, and the yearbook staff as well as the math and the chess clubs. His hobbies were model airplane building, electronics and mathematics, all of which served him well in his chosen career. In 1956, he enrolled at the Illinois Institute of Technology, where he joined the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corp (NROTC) at the rank of Midshipman, USN. Upon graduation in 1959, he joined the United States Navy. He was stationed in Southern California, where he met and married the love of his life, Jean, in 1959. They would travel the world together for almost four decades and have three beloved children.

He continued his education by earning a Master of Electrical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, in 1961. He joined the Civil Engineer Corp (CEC) and was assigned tours of duty in Spain; Washington, DC; Vietnam; Pennsylvania; and Guam MI. During his service he was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation with Bronze Star, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and a Vietnam Campaign Medal. Walter’s final duty station was Washington, DC, and the family lived in Falls Church, VA, for over 35 years. After he retired from the Navy in 1976, he worked at several government contractors before retiring in 1985 to care full time for his ailing wife until her passing in 1997.

Family was very important to Walter. In 2008, he relocated from Northern Virginia to the Tidewater area of Virginia where he could enjoy life near his daughter Karen and her family (son-in-law Joseph R. Stratton). He then spent many enjoyable years actively supporting Karen’s six children by attending school and other activities, including travel volleyball. As he got older, he was able to continue to live independently with support from Karen and later his granddaughter Rachel, to whom he was very grateful.

In Virginia Beach, he joined Grace Lutheran Church and was a dedicated member, serving on the church council and regularly attending Bible study.

Through the years, he also traveled to the Midwest to visit Steven’s family for confirmations, graduations, weddings or holidays. And while he was able, he visited California often to spend time with Linda. Last year, his family joined Walter to celebrate his 90th birthday, surrounding him with children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Walter had many hobbies: reading, computers, genealogy, stamp collecting, and building wooden model boats and planes. He was an “early adopter” of technology, building his own home personal computer in the late 1970s.  He was never seen without his phone and iPad. He kept these close even at the end, as they were a connection to family and friends.

A visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Friday, April 11, 2025, at Graham Funeral Home and Crematory, 1112 Kempsville Road, Chesapeake, VA 23320. A funeral service will be held at noon Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Grace Lutheran Church, 521 Providence Road, Chesapeake, VA 23325. Pastor Leslie Weber will officiate. A lunch reception will follow.

A service and burial with full military honors will follow later in the year at Arlington National Cemetery, where his wife Jean is interred.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice in his memory or consider donating to the American Heart Association ( <https://www.heart.org/en/why-give>) or the Rheumatology Research Foundation(<https://www.rheumresearch.org/donate>).

Please visit grahamfuneralhome.com to leave a condolence to the family.