Clear, 37° F
(Feb. 18, 1932 - May 26, 2015)
Walter Duane Seeley, Sr. died in his home on the afternoon of May 26, 2015, after a long struggle with multiple physical ailments including cancer. However, it is the belief of his sons and close family that perhaps the major trial of his last two years was with profound sadness and loneliness that came from never being able to move past the loss of the love of his life, Alma “Cookie” Seeley.
He was born in Oak Creek, Colorado on Feb. 18, 1932, and resided there through high school. After high school he moved to Denver, Colorado, but soon followed his parents to Green River, after high school and it was there that he met Cookie, the very close friend of his sister Marilyn, and as she put it “he fell instantly, head over heals in love with her.”
They were married on June 28, 1953, in the yard of her parents. Soon after they moved several times with the Air Force during the Korean War and ended in Charleston, South Carolina.
When Walt was released from the service they returned to Green River. Soon after that Walt took a job with FMC at the Westvaco soda ash plant in the laboratory, but held many positions there through 30 years before retiring in 1987.
Later in his and Cookie’s lives they resided in Green River and Sun City West, Arizona. When no longer able to make that journey they moved to Rock Springs and then Powell.
The final years of his wife Cookie’s life was difficult as Alzheimer’s disease took her from him. Walt showed tremendous courage, patience, loyalty and love through that long struggle and deeply marked the lives of all family and friends that were around him. That battle and the emotional and physical toll that it took on him never really healed and his daily focus and comfort was in the knowledge that he would soon join her.
Walter Duane Seeley, Sr. was preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Selena Seeley (Salt Lake City, Utah); In-Laws, Bill and Lala Williams (Green River); his wife, Alma Jean “Cookie” Seeley; his brother and wife, Bill and Elsie Seeley (Beaverton, Oregon); grandparents and several cousins.
He is survived by his sister and husband, Deen and Marilyn Eskridge (Salt Lake City); his sons and wives, Walter and Janet Seeley (Kemmerer); Timothy and Lynnae Seeley (Powell); and five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
A memorial service is planned at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Powell on Wednesday, June 3, at 3 p.m., and a funeral on June 6, at 10 a.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church of Green River, and interment at Riverview Cemetery. A light luncheon and celebration of his life will be held at the church after the interment.
“An epic romance continues … in Heaven. Let the dancing begin…”
