Walter Crane Fifer Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Walter Crane Fifer, 99, of Indianapolis, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, July 10, 2022. He was born in Arthur, Illinois October 9, 1922 to the late Bess and Jesse Fifer. The third of four children, Walter spent the early years of his life in Illinois, graduating from Tuscola High School in 1941 before moving to Indianapolis. He took a job with Thomas and Skinner Steel Products before Uncle Sam came calling for WWII. Walter would spend the next three years in the Army Air Corps where he served as a radio operator on a B-24 Liberator flying 30 missions over German occupied Europe. Tech/Sgt. Fifer would earn the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters. Following the war, Walter returned home to Indianapolis, resuming his job with Thomas and Skinner. While working there he met Ruby Hayden, who would eventually become his much beloved wife for the next 62 years, passing in 2010. Together they would raise four children, Dianna (Dave) Wallace, Jerry Fifer, Sheila Reily and Scott (Sara) Fifer, who survive him. Walter would also see the addition of eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. He was also the surrogate grandfather to dozens of children who lived in the surrounding neighborhood. Regardless of skin color, family situation or length of time living in the neighborhood, you could frequently find children, singly or in small groups, knocking on his door to get some candy or gum, or perhaps to have a bicycle mended. He loved everyone. Shortly after marrying Ruby, Walter started working with the Post Office, rising from the rank of letter carrier to the position of Station Manager of Southport Post Office, from which he retired in 1978. Upon retirement, he was free to spend more time at his retreat at Raccoon Lake fishing at the crack of dawn, then out again as the sun set for an evening of night fishing. He would hike the woods with his son or perhaps the whole family would go out mushroom hunting in the spring. Winter would find him shoveling the neighbors’ walks and drives, and when feeling frisky, perhaps hopping on a sled with his grandchildren. Walter will be remembered as a hardworking man of high character, great generosity, wonderful sense of humor and a profound love of family. Until the last couple of years, he was also a man of great strength and stamina, still bowling weekly and celebrating his annual birthday with a horseback ride right up to age 96. Visitation will be Monday, July 18, 2022 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Shirley Brothers Washington Memorial Chapel, 9606 East Washington Street, with funeral services there Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Douglas County Museum, 700 S. Main Street, Tuscola, IL 61953 and/or the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

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Walter Crane Fifer

October 9, 1922 - July 10, 2022