Walter E. Hirsch, 92, of Belmond, IA, died, Tues., May 10, 2022, at MercyOne North Iowa Hospice Inpatient, Mason City, IA, with his loving family at his side.
Public funeral service will be Monday, May 16, 2022, at 2 PM, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Belmond. The Rev. Katie Pals will be officiating. Burial with full military honors provided by the Belmond Honor Guard will be in the Belmond Cemetery.
Visitation will be at the church Monday from noon until the time of the funeral services. The funeral will be live streamed on both the Andrews Funeral Home Facebook page and Trinity Lutheran Church Facebook. Just LIKE either page to view. Those wishing to express their sympathies through a memorial in Walt’s name may wish to consider Trinity Lutheran Church-Belmond, to the family or to the donor’s choice.
Walt was born July 15, 1929, in Dayton, Ohio to Walter and Lena (Krieger) Hirsch. He graduated from North Ridge High School in 1947, where he discovered his love for baseball and basketball. Nicknamed “Crazy Legs Hirsch” and “Little Poison”, for his basketball athletic abilities, in 1945 the team earned the state high school championship.
After an impromptu tryout at the University of Kentucky, Coach Adolph Rupp, offered Walt a full ride scholarship and place on the team, where he holds the most NCAA championship wins 3 out of his four years as a Wildcat. His senior year in college he was selected to the All-SEC Tournament. He also played first base for the Kentucky baseball team for four seasons. He was later inducted into the Northridge High School Hall of Fame.
From 1952-1954 he served in the Army during the Korean War, playing basketball and baseball to entertain the troops. Upon completing his service, he went to work at Rath Packing Company in Akron, Ohio. He transferred to Waterloo, Iowa, where he met the love of his life Vicki Pals. On October 29, 1960, they married in Rock Island, IL. During their marriage the couple lived in such places as New York, Pennsylvania, Chicago, St. Louis, Omaha, Minneapolis, Waterloo eventually settling in the Alexander and Belmond, Iowa area in 1993.
Walt loved his small group Bible study, calling bingo at the Belmond Senior Apartments and enjoyed an afternoon card game. For most of his life you could find him on the golf course, playing in couple’s tournaments with Vicki. He enjoyed his garden, especially raising tomatoes, often sharing his abundant yields with others. Walt’s laughter and genuine love for people made a stranger feel like his best friend.
Walt’s faith was very important to him. During retirement he was a faithful member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Belmond. Also, during retirement, he spent many hours traveling to the west coast, Alaska and Canada delivering Winnebago motorhomes until his mid 80’s.
Walt will be missed by his two daughters: Pam (Kevin) Bishop of Glenville, MN and Nancy Hirsch of Plymouth, MN, one grandson Colin (Cassie) Bishop of Hansell, IA; sister-in-law Elsie Santeramo, Berthoud, CO and nephews and nieces.
Walt was preceded in death by his wife, Vicki; his parents, Walter and Lena (Krieger) Hirsch and a brother, Robert Hirsch.
Andrews Funeral Home, Belmond, IA. www.
