Walt Werme (affectionately known as Bebop) left us on October 1st for his eternal home in Heaven.
He was surrounded by loving family including his wife, Corinne, of 57 years during his final weeks of his battle with congestive heart failure.
H. Walter Werme was born June 15th 1926 in Elizabeth New Jersey and he had one sister, Doris, who preceded him in death. He attended Cranford High School and joined Naval Aviation in 1944. He attended Dartmouth College, St. Mary's College, Bucknell University with the Navy training and graduated from Baldwin Wallace College with a BS degree. After the war he served in the Naval Reserve as an officer and retired as a Lt. Commander. He worked as an engineer for General Electric Locomotive Division and then started his lifetime career with John Hancock Life Insurance Company. Walt moved from sales in Florida (where he met Corinne), to a Unit Manager, to General Agent in Orlando, then to Boston as a Second Vice President and eventually to Senior Vice President with responsibility of sales in the USA and Europe. They moved to Seattle and took over the General Agency (that his father-in-law had held at one point) and retired with 30 years of service to John Hancock in 1987.
Walt enjoyed his retirement immensely. In fact, he lived his whole life with enthusiasm! Travelling, fishing, boating, crabbing, painting, his faith and of course music were all things he was passionate about. His love of the violin began at an early age and his parents sacrificed financially to have him start violin lessons at the age of 7. He would travel to New York City for lessons with a Julliard teacher and entered and won many contests. He played solo with the Senior Jazz Band as a 6th Grader! He was the Concert Master of Dartmouth Symphony and Bucknell Symphony. A member of the Ft. Lauderdale Symphony Orchestra, the Wellesley Symphony and a member of the Skagit Valley Symphony Orchestra. However, he switched over to fiddle playing when he developed an interest in Celtic fiddle. He decided to go Weiser Idaho to compete at the National Fiddle contest and became hooked….he came in 8th in his age category that first time and in ensuing years came in as high as 3rd place…and won Washington State Seniors five times.
Walt's faith was an integral part of his life and he spent a lifetime of serving the church and Jesus. He was on the worship team at Camano Chapel and Stanwood Foursquare playing the fiddle.
Bebop has 5 children, Bruce, Kristen, Mark, Laura and David, 15 Grandchildren, and 11 Great Grandchildren. Not only loved by his biological family, he was also loved by those he met doing crafts in school classrooms, church and Sunday School, and community events with his wife, Corinne (aka as Memaw).
We look forward to being reunited with him in our eternal home in Heaven!
There will be a celebration of life held at the Stanwood Foursquare Church on Saturday October 15th at 11:00 with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Providence Hospice 2731 Wetmore Ave, Suite 500 Everett, WA 98201 - who blessed him during his final weeks of life.
Arrangements under the direction of Gilbertson Funeral home, Stanwood