Walter Ramsey

Ramsey Walter A. beloved husband for 62 years to Louise Ramsey (nee Cushman), loving father of Lynn (Stuart) Nichols and David A. (Laura) Ramsey, dear grandfather of Melanie, Wendy, Keiran and Quinn, brother-in-law of Kenneth (June) Cushman. Walter's basic philosophy was "Not knowing all the answers, but knowing where to find them." Passed away Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009. Age 92. Funeral service will be at Northminster Presbyterian Church, 703 Compton Rd, Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 10 AM. Memorials may be made to Children's Hospital.At a very early age, Walter demonstrated his quest for knowledge by reading an encyclopedia at age 5. His mother, Josie, had to step in to slow his romp through elementary school as he skipped grade after grade. Despite the Depression, he managed to attend college through scholarships in language studies. Later, while teaching romance languages at George Washington University and Clark University, he inspired others to carry on in the field.While in the Army during World War II - when he was about to board a bus to join an infantry division - a captain hurriedly came up and diverted hs path because he was needed as an Italian interpreter. Later, in Europe, he was attached to a prisoner of war processing unit. Here, in the middle of the night, he was once called to get a message to the family of a dying Italian soldier. He even used his versatile language skills to process a soldier from Outer Mongolia. As he entered family life after the war, his basic philosophy was that Education is not knowing all the answers - but knowing where to find them. His daughter, Lynn, regarded him as a walking encyclopedia. His son, David, used him as a term paper consultant. And his wife, Louise, used his guidance to obtain Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Education. He planned countless vacations throughout the U.S. for pleasure and learning - about geography and history. His great but unrealized love for engineering was realized in his son. His daughter became a librarian in England. Retirement years found him climbing a few mountains and fording a few streams out West. Then later he spent a few years horseback riding - often at ranches in Montana. For his 50th wedding anniversary, he and Louise traveled around the world in 7 days. Even in a retirement home - after a fall rendered him bedridden - he continued to amaze by quoting from Dante's Inferno - speaking to the nurses in foreign languages.

WWII United States Army