On Sunday, December 5, 2021,  MAJ (Retired)Walter Horton passed away. His life began during the Spanish Flu pandemic and he left us during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Walter was born on October 13, 1919 in Lewisville, Texas. He was the fourth of seven children born to Walter and Princess Horton. His family moved to Oklahoma when he was a child and he grew up in Cotton County Oklahoma.  He lived during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. In 1930, his family came down with smallpox. Only he and his older sister were unscathed. The two preteens took care of the family and farm during the family illness. He graduated Ahpeatone High School and attended Southwestern State Teacher's College. He joined the Army National Guard to help pay his college expenses and to send money home to his family.  Walter was called to active duty on September 16, 1940.

Walter loved God, his country, and his family. He married Doris C. Horton on May 22, 1948. They were married 68 years, until her passing in 2016. In 1950 the Korean war broke out. Walter arrived in Korea, July 13, 1950 with the 555 ^th Field Artillery Battalion.  He retired from active duty in 1961 at Ft. Sill obtaining the rank of Major. He lived the remainder of his life in Lawton and served with many community organizations. He has been a member of the American Legion, VFW, Sojourners and the Military Order of World Wars (MOWW). He achieved the 32 ^nd degree in The Scottish Rite. His family joined Westminster Presbyterian Church in 1959. There he served seven terms as a ruling elder, committee chairperson, Clerk of Session and on Synod and Presbytery committees.  In 2019, he became an Oklahoma Centenarian. He can say he drove a car until he was 100 years old. He loved telling stories and jokes. His grandchildren remember his stories of wampus cats.  He would join in the laughter as well.

Walter is survived by his two daughters, Elaine Horton Abercrombie and husband Richard of Irmo, South Carolina and their two granddaughters, Katherine Abercrombie Flynn and husband Tommy of Richmond, Virginia and Janet Abercrombie of Atlanta, Georgia. Peggy Horton Cooksey and husband Robert (Bob) of El Reno, Oklahoma and their three children and four grandchildren; Sarah Cooksey Lomize and husband Misha  and children Henry and Anna of Oklahoma City, Steven Cooksey and wife, Paula and their two sons, Judah and Titus of Yukon, Oklahoma, and Angela Cooksey of Moscow, Russia.

Services will be held on Saturday, December 11, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church with Rev. Devon Reynolds, pastor and Rev. Mark Henslee officiating. Visitation will be one hour before the service at the church.

Entombment with full military honors will follow in the Chapel of Serenity Mausoleum at Sunset Memorial Gardens under the direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

Memorials can be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church 7110 W. Gore Blvd., Lawton, OK 73505.