Walter Harrison

Funeral Services for Walter Harrison, 90, of Jefferson was held 10:00 a.m. Dec. 18 at the First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson. Interment was at Lost Grove Cemetery, Lanyon. Visitation with the family was held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Dec. 17 at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson. Memorials were suggested to the family and may be left at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home.
 James Walter Harrison, second son of Charles and Bessie (Heistand) Harrison, was born on a farm in the Loess Hills of western Iowa near Moorhead in Monona County, November 3, 1924. With his brother, he attended country schools and lived on several different farms in Monona, Harrison, and Shelby counties.  His sister, Charlotte, was born in 1931.  

The family moved to a farm in Shelby County where Walter graduated from high school at Kirkman. After attending a business college in Grand Island, Nebraska during winter, Walt started farming with his dad and he farmed for 50 years in the area around Paton, Dayton, and Lanyon, before retiring and moving to Jefferson in the summer of 1991.

In the spring of 1937, he and his brother Hugh confessed Christ as their Savior and were baptized into the Christian Church at Harlan and later were members of the Church of Christ in Irwin during their growing up years.

In 1949, Walt married Ruth Fatka in the Evangelical United Brethren Church at Paton, and together, they raised a family of four sons: Joe of Gowrie, Kim of Alexander, Mark of LaCrosse, Wisc.; and Todd who lives near Paton. All four sons are married and Walt and Ruth have a fine bunch of grandchildren.

Walt expressed a feeling of pride and joy to be the dad of four sons—he liked it! And he was well aware of tremendous responsibility that was his.

Walt dearly loved his wife, Ruth. Theirs was a deep and abiding love. They were together constantly, depending on each other for companionship and emotional support. They were best friends.

Walt was very independent. He liked to work alone—to be creative—to make something out of nothing. He liked to read, write, and travel. Walt had a fine sense of humor. He loved the woods behind his new home, because it reminded him of the hills where he spent his early childhood.

Walter was preceded in death by his parents, daughter-in-law Linda Harrison, brother Hugh (June) Harrison, and brother-in-law Jack Smith. He is survived by his wife Ruth Harrison of Jefferson; sons: Joe Harrison of Gowrie, Kim (Denise) Harrison of Alexander, Mark (Ellen) Harrison of LaCrosse, Wisc., and Todd (friend Teresa) Harrison of Ogden; sister Charlotte Smith of Jefferson; 8 grandchildren;13 great grandchildren; nieces; nephews; other relatives; and friends.

Online condolences may be left at www.sliningerrossowfuneralhome.com