LINDA OLIVER WALTERS
Tue, 2015-06-30 20:40
News Staff
PHARR — Linda Oliver Walters, age 86, departed this life on June 24, 2015. Linda was born to Minnie and W.L. “Buster” Oliver on November 21, 1928 in Old Gulf, Texas. She was raised on her family’s place in Nursery, Texas and graduated from Patti Welder High School in Victoria. After high school, she attended nurses training at the Texas Medical Center in Houston prior to going to work for Western Union as a telegraph operator in 1948. She was assigned to a position with the company in Pharr which is where she met her husband, Kenneth Walters. They were married on August 19, 1950 at the Pharr United Methodist Church. They made their home in Pharr where they had two children, Ken Jr. and Karen. After her employment with Western Union ended, she went to work with the Hidalgo County Pct. 2 Commissioner Charles Curtis and then with the Hidalgo County Drainage District where she retired in 1994. She also worked at the Tropic Star R.V. Resort in Pharr as the activity director for the residents. Linda was an active member of the community in Pharr, especially with the Pharr United Methodist Church, the Pharr Chamber of Commerce, the Pharr Fireman’s Auxiliary. She served as co-chair of Rio Grande Valley Day at the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo. Linda was named Pharr Citizen of the year in 1997. She also served as President of the Texas A&M Mother’s Club of the Rio Grande Valley, as both of her children graduated from Texas A&M. Linda loved horses and in her younger years she was a member of the Rio Grande Valley Quadrille Riding Club. She is preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Kenneth Walters and her parents Minnie and W.L. “Buster” Oliver. She is survived by her children: Ken Walters, Jr. and wife Lori (of Tomball, TX) and Karen Ruschhaupt and husband James (of Corpus Christi.) She is remembered by a sister, Dorothy Gore, and grand- and great-grand-children: Derek Ruschhaupt and wife Heather, Travis Ruschhaupt and wife Vanessa, Shari Zbranek and husband Zach, Jeffrey, Brandon and Conner Walters, Truett, London, Allie and Sicily Ruschhaupt, Kinzley Zbranek. She will be missed by her dear friend, Shirley Davis. Visitation was held on Monday, June 29 at Skinner Silva Funeral Chapel in Pharr. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, June 30 at Skinner Silva Funeral Chapel with interment following at Roselawn Cemetery in McAllen. Pallbearers were Derek, Travis and Truett Ruschhaupt, Zach Zbranek, Jeffrey, and Brandon and Conner Walters. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate Memorial gifts to the Bill Nash’s Champion Kids Camp. (1152 Westheimer, Suite 681, Houston, TX 77042) Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the care of Skinner Silva Funeral Home of Pharr.