Walter W. Belter

Welton W. Belter, 83, of Eau Claire, passed away Monday, June 10, 2002 at his home. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thursday at Grace Lutheran Church, 404 E. Glenlord Rd., St. Joseph with his nephew from Appleton, Wisconsin, Rev. Dennis Belter and Rev. Carl Pagel, Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church officiating. Burial will follow in Shanghai Cemetery, Eau Claire with graveside military rites conducted by Coloma American Legion Post 362, Hartford American Legion Post 93, VFW Post 1137 of Benton Harbor, and VFW Post 6803 of Watervliet. Friends may call on Wednesday from 5-8 P.M. at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to Grace Lutheran Church or the American Cancer Society. Friends wishing to sign the guestbook on line may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Mr. Belter was born on November 13, 1918 in Benton Harbor to Adolph & Marie (Sievert) Belter. Welton served his country during WWII in the US Army as an Observation Station Operator. The love of his life was operating his fruit farm in Eau Claire. He also was employed as a machinist by Whirlpool Corp. retiring in 1981 after 38 years. Welton was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in St. Joseph, a former member of The Cherry Growers Association and The Farm Bureau, and was a Golden Gloves Boxing Champion in 1937 & 1938. Welton is survived by five daughters-Susan Thiem of Richmond, CA; Janet Belter Jaeger of Palm Bay, FL; Patricia Bass of Richfield, MN; Kathy Champigny of Vero Beach, FL; Karen (Kurt) Sands of Marietta, GA; ten grandchildren; one great-grandchild; two brothers-Harvey (Emma) Belter, Sr. of Benton Harbor; Edward Andres of Coloma; and two sisters-Margaret Belter and Jo Myers both of St. Joseph. He was preceded in death by his parents and by two brothers-Ernest Andres, Sr. and Roland Andres.