FRANCIS F. WALTON

Francis Walton

Francis F. Walton, 87, of Browning, died Monday, Oct. 20, 1997, at 6:28 p.m. at Culbertson Memorial Hospital in Rushville.

He was born Dec. 5, 1909, in Browning Township, a son of Raymond and Carrie Alena (Geer) Walton. He married Lavina Waters on Dec. 17, 1930 in Rushville. She survives.

Also surviving are one daughter, Dianne Hutton of Naples; four grandchildren, Darrell Ruth of Cross Lane, W.V., Rita Corson of Astoria, Gareld Ruth of Rushville, and Roger Ruth of Springfield; and 11 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by one brother, Dale Walton.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church of Browning, Valley Amateur Radio Club, American Amateur Radio Relay League for 73 years.

He farmed all his life, retiring in 1971. He became interested in amateur radio as a young man. He became a licensed amateur radio operator with the call 9ACU, later being changed to W9ACU in the year 1926. He had taken the Magazine QST, a magazine devoted to amateur radio for 73 years. He is one of three in the United States that had retained his original call and taken the magazine for that length of time. He was very proficient with code and made most of his contacts in Morris Code and not by microphone. He made contacts all over the world and his special pride were the contacts by phone patches for the men in foreign service to their parents and family in the United States. He built his first T.V. set, later selling and repairing or servicing for R.C.A.

Services will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at his church with Rev. Joe Tomich officiating. Friends may call after 3 p.m. today at Shawgo Memorial Home in Astoria where family visitation will be from 6-9 p.m. Burial will be in Bader Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Schuyler County Jail Museum or the United Methodist Church of Browning.

 

Published in the Astoria South Fulton Argus on 10/22/1997

 

[Laura’s note: Shouldn't it be “Morse Code” instead of “Morris Code”? The obituary was published listing "Morris Code", but I have my doubts.]

 

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