Carolyn Walters

Carolyn “Joy” Walters of Eau Claire passed into the presence of the Lord peacefully surrounded by her loved ones on November 17th, at the age of 77. Joy was born July 31st, 1944 in Berwyn, IL; a suburb of Chicago, the oldest of four children. As a child her family moved to Northern California where she graduated from High School in Sacramento, CA in 1962. While studying psychology and music at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (BIOLA) she met a missionary’s son, Darrell Walters, and they married. With dreams of starting a church they ventured back to the Midwest where they bought a small farm in Wisconsin.

With natural musical talent, Joy kept busy as the pianist/organist and also played the flute in the church while Darrell gave the sermons. They also began a family and Joy soon found her calling as a mother, beginning a legacy that would include 10 children. Her true calling was being a mother, but she also loved animals and worked breeding and selling birds for many years, even being known around town as “the bird lady”. She also worked for the Eau Claire Leader Telegram delivering papers, at Gordy’s IGA, and was forever babysitting one or more of her children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren. Beautiful and vibrant, she was always bounding with energy, always working so selflessly to care for those she loved, and never turning someone away who needed a helping hand. Her quick wit and her Christian faith saw her through every situation.

Joy continued to live her whole life in Wisconsin and never complained about the changing of the seasons. She always found joy in all situations but her greatest joy came from being surrounded by family.

She was preceded in death by her Father, Richard “Dick” Harold, and eldest son, Gordon Walters, and survived by her mother, Marion Harold, husband Darrell Walters and their children; Arthur (Tina) Walters, Richard Walters, Scott Holt, Amy Walters, Daniel Walters, Darrell (Kata) Walters, Christina (Darrell) Berg, Mary Ann Walters (John Rankin), and Jay Walters; and 14 grandchildren; and 2 great grandchildren. Joy is also survived by her younger sisters Mary Beth Taylor, Patty Gilliland and brother “Rick” Richard Harold and their spouses and families.

Please join us to celebrate her life and her legacy. Her memorial service will be held at 4:00 p.m. on December 11, 2021 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 2245 Hayden Ave., Altoona. Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. until time of service.