Walter H. Miner

Walter H. Miner, age 92, passed away Friday, November 10, 2023, in Madison, Wisconsin. He was born April 19, 1931, to Roland and Lottye Miner, both of whom were electrical engineers. Walt grew up first in Augusta, Kansas and then in Greeley, Colorado, spending happy summers at his grandparents’ ranch outside of Burns, Wyoming, and pursuing interests as diverse as beekeeping and singing with a barbershop quartet. He majored in English at the University of Colorado-Boulder and went on to earn an M.A. in medieval literature at Harvard University. Drafted in October 1954, he served in an Army intelligence unit based in Heidelberg, Germany, until October 1956. He married Ruth Ottersberg on June 16, 1959, and the couple settled in Cheyenne Wyoming, where they raised their two children and became active members of Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church. From 1958 to 1992, Walt taught English, mainly at East High School, serving for many years as department chairperson and ultimately branching out into computer-assisted English education and a program for gifted and talented students. In 1997, Walt and Ruth moved to Madison, Wisconsin, focusing their lives on family and participation in Luther Memorial Church.

             Walt was sociable and articulate, with a quick sense of humor and broad interests. In addition to his lifelong cultivation of literature, Walt loved to make music: a gifted pianist, for many decades he either directed or sang with church choirs and participated eagerly in a community chorus. Raised as he was by engineers, Walt was endlessly fascinated by the built environment and how its components worked; he was a skilled woodworker, enjoyed interior remodeling, and could wire anything.

            Walt was preceded in death by Ruth Miner, his wife of 48 years; his son Robert; and his twin sisters Priscilla Miner and Patricia (Doug) Macneal. He is survived by his daughter Margaret (Brian) Miner, his daughter-in-law Emily West, his grandsons Paul Miner and William Miner, his niece Alice (Philip) Carli, and his three nephews Christopher (Alina) Macneal, Andrew (Myra) Macneal, and Benjamin (Roxanne) Macneal. A memorial service (in person and livestreamed) will be held at 1:00 PM on Thursday, November 30, 2023 at Luther Memorial Church, 1021 University Av, Madison, WI 53715. The family suggests that gifts to honor Walt’s memory be sent to Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin.