Galen L. Walters

Galen L. Walters, 81 years, of Marysville, KS (formerly of Beattie), passed away on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Overland Park, KS.

Visitation was held on Sunday, April 13, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Kinsley Mortuary in Marysville. The family received friends from 4-7 p.m.

A funeral service was held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, April 14, at the Beattie United Methodist Church. Burial followed in the Beattie Union Cemetery. Pastor Janelle Knowles officiated. The organist was Marilyn Rogers, and the music included "Go Rest High on That Mountain, "The Dance," and "Remember When."

The pallbearers were Andrew Fink, Eli Walters, Tom Taphorn, Brent Domann, Brad Domann and Greg Taphorn.

The honorary pallbearers were Doug Klaus, Gary Weyer, Blaine Domann, Rod Craig, Frank O’Neil, Gene Peschel, Bill Baird, and Daryl Fink.

Galen was born on May 22, 1943, in Marysville, KS, the son of Elmer and Doris Walters of Beattie. Growing up on the farm northwest of Beattie, he earned the nickname “Farmer.” After graduating from Beattie High School in 1961, he went to Lincoln, NE, to work for his uncle, Dale Smith, at the gas station. He later returned to Beattie to drive a truck for Bob Wright Trucking, and in September 1962, he joined the U.S. Navy. He attended basic training at Camp Pendleton in California, where he became a medical corpsman. Galen spent most of his service with the Marines and was deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, where he helped treat wounded servicemen from Vietnam. Although he was scheduled to be discharged in September 1965, his time was extended until January 1966 following President Kennedy’s assassination. After returning home from the Navy, he worked at the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant in Desoto, Kansas, as a supervisor on ground-to-air missiles.

In 1966, he met Vickie Larmore, and they married in June 1967. In 1971, as the ammunition plant began to slow down, he and Vickie moved back to Beattie. Galen took a job with Blue Valley Telephone Company as a repairman and installer. He also farmed alongside his father and father-in-law north of Home City. In February 2002, he retired from Blue Valley after 31 years of service and was later elected as a Director on the board at Blue Valley for 9 years. Galen was a member of the VFW, American Legion, and United Methodist Church in Beattie and served on the church and Beattie Union Cemetery boards for many years.

Galen loved playing Euchre with his friends at Little Hap”s in Home City. During the week, it was an important date for him during lunch. He enjoyed sports, especially basketball and football. In May 2013, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and later moved to Country Living in Marysville. Although Parkinson’s slowed him down, he continued to give it his best effort and very rarely complained.

Galen and Vickie have two children: Joni Fink of Marysville and Lennie (Nichole) Walters of Shawnee. They have five grandchildren: Kylee Fink of Lenexa, Andrew Fink of Herkimer, Brittany Fink of Marysville, and Eli and Brinley Walters of Shawnee. Additionally, there is one great-grandchild, Adelyn Brown of Marysville. Galen has four sisters: Marilyn Biel of Lincoln, NE, Linda (Dean) Domann of Winchester, Betty Walters of Mesa, AZ, and Karen (Jim) Taphorn of Beattie, along with many nieces and nephews.

A memorial fund has been established to the Beattie Fire Department or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Contributions may be sent in care of Kinsley Mortuary, P.O. Box 147, Marysville, KS 66508.