Walter Charles Seidel was born in February of 1921 and died at the age of 90 on February 2, 2011. He was the first of six children born to Charles Jacob and Esther (Zimmerman) Seidel. He grew to manhood on the family farm a few miles Northeast of Tipton, Kansas.

It was in Tipton, Kansas that Walter fell in love with airplanes. A local man owned a small plane that Walt was allowed to sit in when the plane wasn't in use. When he graduated high school he enrolled in Junior College at Hebron, Nebraska. Here is where he learned to fly, earning his pilot's license in 1941. He signed up as an Air Cadet in the Army Air Force just after Pearl Harbor was bombed.

He served his war years in the South Pacific, first in bombers then as a pilot assigned to GHQ Headquarters and General MacArthur's plane, the Bataan. He earned the Purple Heart following the crash of his bomber in 1942.

After the war, Walter attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, graduating with an engineering degree. He was active in the Air Force Reserves until 1959.

After World War II, and after earning his engineering degree at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, he went to work for the Co-op Refineries, which later became Farmland Industries. In 1985, he retired as Phillipsburg's Refinery manager. He was active in several civic organizations, served for 30 years on the Great Plains Health Alliance board and continued to fly every chance he got.

Walt maintained currency as a commercial and instrument rated pilot until 2003.
He and his wife, Kay, were members of Zion Lutheran Church in Phillipsburg.

In 1988 Walt and Kay purchased radio station KKAN-KQMA in Phillipsburg. Long after most other radio stations have gone to a fully automated format, KKAN-KQMA continues to be local, relevant, and live.

In April 2010, Walter traveled to Brisbane, Australia to visit Archer Field where he'd flown so many missions. He also visited the Queensland Air Museum, where he reported that it was a real thrill to once again sit in the pilot's seat of MacArthur's first plane where he'd sat so many hours in World War II.

Walter was preceded in death by Kay (Smith Yates) Seidel; his sister, Elna Germer of Hebron, NE; his brother Donald Seidel of Duluth, GA; and an infant Grandson, Steven Yates.

He is survived by a daughter, Donna D. Seidel, Topeka, KS; sons John C. Seidel, Bailey, CO; Robert D. Yates II and wife Teal of Phillipsburg and James W. Yates and wife, Debbie, Carl Junction, MO. He is survived by sisters, Nola Van Scyoc, Fayetteville, AR; V. Anne Hemphill, Lincoln, NE; and brother Eugene Seidel, Beatrice, NE.

He enjoyed his grandchildren Steven Seidel, Chicago, IL; Daniel Seidel, Tulsa, OK; Robert Yates III, Denton, TX; Tori Yates of Phillipsburg, Michael (Evelyn) Yates, Scott Yates and Jessi Yates, all of Joplin, MO. He also had 3 great-grandchildren: James, Kianna and Trenton Yates, also of Joplin.

He is survived by his father-in-law, Vyrl Smith, Coffeyville, KS and brothers in law Jim (and Pat) Smith, Tulsa, OK; Terry Smith, Sand Springs, OK; and Ed Smith, Coffeyville.

Walt said before he died, "I am looking forward to going where airplanes don't break down, everybody is healthy and I will be with Kay (his wife) again." That was Walt, always looking to the future.

Funeral services for Walter C. Seidel will be Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. in the Zion Lutheran Church, Phillipsburg, with Pastor Lorna Paulus officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in the Fairview Cemetery, Phillipsburg.

Walter C. Seidel will lie in state from Noon until 9 p.m. Sunday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Zion Lutheran Church, Hospice Services or Phillipsburg High School Booster Club.