Thomas “Tom” George Walters, 78, of Ripley County, passed away on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at his home.
Born on October 16, 1946, in Greensburg Indiana, Tom grew up working on the family farm. After high school Tom joined the United States Air Force, serving in the Vietnam War. Upon returning back to the states with one year of service left he returned to Indiana and married his high school love, Violet Carol Arthur on June, 6th, 1966. They returned to California for the remainder of Tom’s service.
After leaving the service Tom’s travels took him all over the country. Arriving in Alaska where they lived for 13 years while Tom worked in the gold mines, oil fields, and as a hunting and fishing guide in a remote camp near Unalakleet, Alaska. In the off seasons Tom and his wife Violet would travel around the country seeing family, friends, and other amazing places while living out of their Ford Econoline van nick-named “Alcan Connie” after Alaska’s Alcan Highway. Their travels would take them through Alaska and the other 48 contiguous states. Upon leaving Alaska Tom and Vi would run a lodge near Polaris, Montana, before eventually returning home to Indiana for good.
In addition to his travels Tom was a skilled craftsman in many trades, varying from carpentry to welding. He used many of these skills throughout his life, remodeling homes, operating heavy machinery, and building furniture. Tom always maintained his passion for the outdoors, hunting, trapping, and fishing to name a few. Tom was a true outdoorsman and craftsman, passing on an abundant amount of knowledge to family, friends, and anyone else who worked alongside him. He was also a man of strong faith and an active member in his church. Tom especially loved teaching these things to his grand-children. Teaching them to hunt, trap, fish, and tan the furs. Along with being a great teacher, Tom was a great story-teller, telling stories of his life and experiences that often left people in awe with all the things he’d experienced and the detail in which he could tell them.
Tom is survived by his daughter, Jennifer (Gene) Moorman, grand-children, Matthew Moorman, Ty Moorman, Macey Moorman, and great-granddaughter Violet Moorman. He was preceded in death by his wife Violet (Arthur) Walters, and his parents.
Family and friends will gather for a memorial on Friday, April 11th, at 6:00 pm. The memorial will be held at the Aurora Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 5911 SR 350, Aurora, IN, 47001.