Walter Lutz

Walter Reinhold Lutz
January 16, 1940 – March 27, 2026

Walter Reinhold Lutz was born on January 16, 1940, during a prairie snowstorm on the family farm near Bruce, Alberta. The third of Reinhold and Hilda’s four children, he grew up with sisters Gertrude and Alice and his constant companion, younger brother Ben. When Walter was 8, his family temporarily relocated to Chilliwack, BC, where they operated a motel and Walter finished his schooling. In 1958, they returned to Alberta and Walter began building a life as a cattle and grain farmer. 

In 1965, Walter married Inez Kauffman and took over the Lutz family farm, soon welcoming children Dale and Joyce. In the following years, he and Inez played an active role in the community, supporting the Holden 4-H Beef Club, the Bruce Stampede, the Bruce History Book and the Bruce Rural Electrification Agency. For the Beaver Arts Society, Walter often emceed and even acted in a few plays.

After Inez’s passing in 1988, Walter married Jean Starky (née MacLeod), mother of David, Michèle and Sheena. Following several years of splitting time between Alberta and BC, he sold part of the farm and joined Jeanie and Sheena in Coquitlam, BC. There, Walter once again devoted himself to the community, hosting an annual neighbourhood corn roast, volunteering at Mountain View Elementary, and lending his booming bass to Coquitlam Chorale.

Over the years, there were RV road trips and travels to destinations in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Spring through fall, Walter spent many happy days welcoming visitors to the cabin he built, with the help of friends, in the Cariboo. Every winter, he and Jeanie looked forward to their annual visit to Kauai, where they immersed themselves in the island community and culture. 

Through it all, Walter found joy in life’s simple rhythms and routines: tinkering in the garage, listening to CBC Radio, biking to the store, picking fruit (especially blackberries), writing and telling stories, and sharing his homemade cookies, jam and ice cream with family, friends, neighbours and most everyone he met.

He will be lovingly remembered by his wife Jeanie and their blended family of five children, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren—in addition to the countless others touched by his kindness, generosity and unforgettable smile.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Salem Mennonite Church Fellowship Hall on May 9 at 11:00 AM Mountain Time (10 AM Pacific). To honour Walter's love of Kauai, guests are encouraged to wear Hawaiian shirts and jeans. To RSVP for the luncheon email celebratewlutz@gmail.com. A livestream link will be made available here.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Walter's memory may be made to the Coquitlam SHARE Food Bank at sharesociety.ca/donate-to-share.

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