Walt's Story

Walt died in Georgetown, Texas, February 19, 2026. He was born to Herman W. G. Doering and Ethel K. Doering in St. Louis, Missouri, December 21, 1933, at the height of the Great Depression.

Walt graduated from St. Paul's High School, Concordia, Missouri. His educational journey included obtaining a B.A. degree with majors in history and political science from Valparaiso University; an M.D. in theology from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC); an M.S. in educational psychology, Indiana University; and an Ed.D. in education, Indiana University, with the focus on organizational development. Walt also completed a special post-graduate program in organization development and human resource management, jointly offered by Columbia University and the University of Michigan.

With the Gestalt Institute of New England, Walt did extensive training in gestalt methods and therapy. From the wellness workers at the Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, he was made a lifetime member, in good standing, in The Society of Childlike Grownups. This entitled him to the right to play as a child in any place or situation at any time.

He married Melba Jean Bokelman in 1952, his lifelong partner and best friend for 69 years. They connected at Topsy's Cafe via Walt's stomach. Whenever he visited the Cafe, Melba, a waitress, provided him with a huge tenderloin sandwich and a thick strawberry malt, unlike what other customers received for the same price. The result was a growing family, blessed beyond measure, with three children: Philip, who married Kathleen Sabo, Gwendolyn, who remained a gift in and of herself, and Roxane, who married Les Dahl. Phil and Kate gifted the family with Suzanne and Andrew. Andrew extended the family with his spouse, Jamie Herman. Roxane and Les presented the family with Nathan, Bethany, Rebekah, and Michael, a gift from Guatemala. Bethany and Rebekah added their respective spouses, Josh Rooke and Kevin Stacy. These marriages contributed to five great-grandchildren: Hannah, Benjamin, Nolan, Adelaide and Caleb. All have enriched our family life.

In addition to the blessings of family, Walt's life was made richer by a variety of work experiences. These included, in his youth, yard care, cleaning the house, digging cemetery graves and distributing the Neighborhood Link News with brother Herm. In the 6th grade, he learned the baker trade at Doering's Bakery, purchased by his parents. There, Walt contributed his skills to its success. Other jobs included being a printer's helper, a surveyor's assistant, and, with Melba, a manager of a trailer court. While attending Valparaiso University full-time, he worked full-time for a magnet manufacturing firm as an environmental service worker on the evening shift. Later, he worked on the foundry floor pouring molten metal into sand flasks and taking samples of heats. Upon graduation, the firm offered him a job to become their assistant sales and internal pricing manager, which he accepted. A few months later, when Walt realized he was being groomed to engage in price-fixing, he resigned from his position.

He went to seminary at LSTC and served two congregations for the Lutheran Church in America. Later, he chose to leave the ministry and obtained a job as a counselor, administrator, and teacher for Indiana University-Kokomo. While awaiting funds for the IU-K position, with co-workers in the Howard County Department of Welfare, Walt installed the second Food Stamp Program in the state of Indiana. At IU-K, he was chosen to be the Director of Training and Development for St. Margaret Hospital, Hammond, Indiana, and subsequently Children's Hospital in Chicago. Walt spent most of his healthcare career as a Corporate VP in Human Resources for the Carondelet Healthcare Corporation, the Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, and VP, HR, for St. Mary's Health Center in St. Louis, thus coming back full circle to his place of origin.

Whether functioning as a laborer or in corporate suites, Walt sought to change the policies and structures which oppressed workers and prevented them from achieving their full potential. With his passion for making cultures more just and equitable for all, he led organizational-wide initiatives to make workplaces more humane, caring, diverse, and democratic, where workers were considered an asset to an organization, not a liability. His collaboration with women, desiring more equitable and economic opportunities to break through the "glass ceiling," helped him install the second Women's Center in Indiana on the IU-K campus.

His volunteerism included facilitating literacy training, mentoring elementary students, and supporting Hispanics in preparing for the U.S. Citizenship Test or GED exam. Also, recognizing housing as a right—whether rental or home-ownership -- he supported People of Color in acquiring housing in opportunity neighborhoods, which contributed to

asset building and closing the racial wealth divide. At this time, federal policies, or White supremacists, often prevented that from happening. Moreover, working with communities of color he helped establish the first Kokomo Human Relations Commission. His work with this agency preceded the Fair Housing Act.

Here in Georgetown, Walt, with Melba, visited and supported the dreams of asylum seekers at T. Don Hutto Detention Center. For Bridges to Growth, he taught ESL classes with Hispanics, and for the Neighborhood Conference Committee of Wilco, he helped students avoid entering the prison pipeline. Much of his time was spent working with others to install five new multi-family affordable housing communities in Georgetown.

Other aspects of his life found Walt to be a continuous learner and avid reader who sought to make life better for all. He loved playing a variety of major/minor sports. Also, he liked various types of music, his favorite being folk music. Singing and performing in community musicals was especially fun and enjoyable.

Melba, his life partner, Walt's parents and two brothers, Bob, and Herm, and his brother-in-law, Dan Steinmeyer, preceded him in death. He is survived by three children and spouses, his grandchildren, and spouses, as well as great-grandchildren. His sister, Vi Steinmeyer and his sisters-in-law, Ann and Mary Doering and Alice Hinck, and his brothers-in-law, Everett Hinck and Jerry Kanoy remain to carry on the family legacy along with many nieces and nephews.

 A Celebration of Walt's Life is currently pending and will be held in The Chapel of Ramsey Funeral Home.  A reception will follow the Celebration in the Reception Hall of Ramsey Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers the family would like you to send a donation in Walts Memory to a charity of your choice.