Walter (Walt) Charles Wickham passed away quietly at his home at the age of 96 on December 14, 2018. Walt was born on November 30, 1922 in Tekamah, Nebraska to Leon Dewey Wickham and Vail Loretta Spanton Wickham. He grew up in Tekamah and attended Tekamah High School.
During his high school years he participated on many sports teams, such as playing fullback in football, first baseman in baseball, and guard in basketball. In 1942 at the age of 19 he joined the U.S. Navy where he was assigned to the VC8 Squadron in Astoria, Oregon, and later he was assigned to the VC15, spending 33 months aboard the U.S.S. Solomons; his main mission was hunting submarines in the south Atlantic. While in the service he was assigned to Blimp Squadron Twelve in New York.
After being honorably discharged from the Navy, Walt worked as a carpenter and a bartender in Omaha, Nebraska and then moved to Utah working in the U.S. Civil Service from 1952-1977 when he retired from the Tooele Army Depot. Walt married Rebecca Harding on August 27, 1946 and they raised three sons, Walter Charles II (Wally), Donald Dewey, and Jerry Ray. In the early 1960’s Walt got involved in rodeo and was instrumental in promoting Utah High School Rodeo, In 1973 he was President of the National High School Rodeo Association.
Walt also enjoyed hunting and fishing. Walt is survived by his three sons who reside in Utah: Wally (Margery) of Tooele, Dewey (Jenny) of St. George, and Jerry (Carla) of Grantsville; his grandchildren, Cody Wickham, Holly Sedgwick, Heidi (Russ) Pratt, Dustin Wickham, Sarah (Mike) Wagner and Spencer Wickham; his great – grandchildren, Ashton and Robert Anthony, Sighli Wickham, Garret, Cooper, Quincy and Jett Pratt, Brianna, Halley and Dylon Wagner; his sister Opal Peters; special friend and companion LaNile Bracken; neighbor and friend LuAnn VonHatten, who he thought of as a daughter. Walt was preceded in death by his wife Becky, granddaughter Heather Wickham, father Leon Wickham, mother Vail Wickham, brother Dewey Wickham and sisters Loretta Petersen and DeMeryce Gunderson.
There will be a visitation at Tate Mortuary, 110 South Main Street, Tooele, Utah on Thursday, December 20, 2018 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm and again Friday December 21 from 10:00 am to 11:30 am. The interment will follow the Friday visitation at the Tooele City Cemetary in Tooele, Utah. After the internment family and friends are invited to join the Wickham family for a luncheon at the Tooele Bit and Spur Clubhouse located at 240 West, 500 North in Tooele.
The Wickham family wishes to thank Cherylynn Miller and Canyon Home Care & Hospice for providing care and comfort to our dad and consideration of the family’s needs.
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