Christoval, TX -Gary Kelly Walton, 87, of Christoval, Texas passed away on Wednesday, December 2, 2020. Gary was born on March 16, 1933, in Albuquerque, New Mexico to Robert and Katherine Walton who were dairy farmers at the time. They later relocated to northern New Mexico where Robert supported the family doing what work he could find. He worked as a baker, built missile silos outside Denver, got cattle from Amarillo to Raton, and even worked on the Hoover dam.
Gary attended Raton High School where he lettered in football, basketball, and track and was later inducted into the Raton High School Wall of Fame. He also rodeoed riding bulls. He went to college at New Mexico State University and earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture. He paid for his education by earning a football scholarship, working in the school cafeteria, and doing odd jobs. In 1955, he also was named “The Greates Aggie” an award bestowed on him because of his athletic accomlishments in football and track. In college, Gary joined ROTC and got his first taste of flying. He was so enamored that he walked away from offers to play professional football with several teams and went to pilot school with the United States Air Force.
He served for 30 years. For the first 20, he was a fighter pilot, something he truly loved. His service included flying along the Berlin wall during the Cuban Missile Crisis and later flying over 101 missions in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. He was a Squadron Commander and later the Deputy Commander of the Air Defense Weapons Center. After 20 years as a fighter pilot he served as the Commander of the Joint Defense Space Communications in Woomera, Australia, then as Deputy Director Space Systems Operations in Omaha, Nebraska, and finally as Base Commander at Dyess AFB in Abilene, Texas. After 30 years of service he retired having attained the rank of full Colonel. After retiring, Gary ran operational joint ventures for Frank E. Basil and General Dynamics, lead the turnaround of Rocky Mountain Metals, then moved to Christoval and took up ranching again but this time with goats because as he said, “”…I’m never again dealing with cows, the dumbest animals on the planet…”
Gary was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Wanda Kamm, brother in law John Novick, and nephew, Sam Walton.
He is survived by his son, Chris Walton, and wife, Luana Lindsey, of Richmond, VA; daughters, Kathy Lakatta and husband, Alan, of Mansfield, TX, and Mary Walton of Round Rock, TX; sisters, Madelyn Novick, of Albuquerque, NM, Bonnie Yaksich and husband, George, of Raton, NM; brothers, Robert G., and wife, Shirley, of Raton, NM, Jack and wife, Pat, of Ramah, CO, Mike and wife, Karen, of Raton, NM, Robert H. of Modesto, CA and brother-in-law, Robert Kamm of Pryor, OK; grandchildren, Brandon Lakatta and wife, Kristin, Taylor Pettyjohn, and Lexi Lakatta; great-grandchildren, Luke, Lawson and Ellis Lakatta. He is also survived by 24 nieces and nephews.
A celebration of Gary’s life will be held on Monday, December 7, at Johnson’s Funeral Home, 435 West Beauregard, San Angelo. Feel free to stop by between 6:00-8:00 pm. His final resting place will be at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Boys Town.
Gary attended Raton High School where he lettered in football, basketball, and track and was later inducted into the Raton High School Wall of Fame. He also rodeoed riding bulls. He went to college at New Mexico State University and earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture. He paid for his education by earning a football scholarship, working in the school cafeteria, and doing odd jobs. In 1955, he also was named “The Greates Aggie” an award bestowed on him because of his athletic accomlishments in football and track. In college, Gary joined ROTC and got his first taste of flying. He was so enamored that he walked away from offers to play professional football with several teams and went to pilot school with the United States Air Force.
He served for 30 years. For the first 20, he was a fighter pilot, something he truly loved. His service included flying along the Berlin wall during the Cuban Missile Crisis and later flying over 101 missions in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. He was a Squadron Commander and later the Deputy Commander of the Air Defense Weapons Center. After 20 years as a fighter pilot he served as the Commander of the Joint Defense Space Communications in Woomera, Australia, then as Deputy Director Space Systems Operations in Omaha, Nebraska, and finally as Base Commander at Dyess AFB in Abilene, Texas. After 30 years of service he retired having attained the rank of full Colonel. After retiring, Gary ran operational joint ventures for Frank E. Basil and General Dynamics, lead the turnaround of Rocky Mountain Metals, then moved to Christoval and took up ranching again but this time with goats because as he said, “”…I’m never again dealing with cows, the dumbest animals on the planet…”
Gary was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Wanda Kamm, brother in law John Novick, and nephew, Sam Walton.
He is survived by his son, Chris Walton, and wife, Luana Lindsey, of Richmond, VA; daughters, Kathy Lakatta and husband, Alan, of Mansfield, TX, and Mary Walton of Round Rock, TX; sisters, Madelyn Novick, of Albuquerque, NM, Bonnie Yaksich and husband, George, of Raton, NM; brothers, Robert G., and wife, Shirley, of Raton, NM, Jack and wife, Pat, of Ramah, CO, Mike and wife, Karen, of Raton, NM, Robert H. of Modesto, CA and brother-in-law, Robert Kamm of Pryor, OK; grandchildren, Brandon Lakatta and wife, Kristin, Taylor Pettyjohn, and Lexi Lakatta; great-grandchildren, Luke, Lawson and Ellis Lakatta. He is also survived by 24 nieces and nephews.
A celebration of Gary’s life will be held on Monday, December 7, at Johnson’s Funeral Home, 435 West Beauregard, San Angelo. Feel free to stop by between 6:00-8:00 pm. His final resting place will be at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Boys Town.
There are people that come into your life that change it forever. Gary was one of those for me. First, as a supportive boss and mentor and then my best friend. He was a complex, almost formidable man who accomplished enough for several lifetimes. I won’t sugar coat it and he wouldn’t want me to: he was also a difficult person to truly get to know and often set almost impossibly high standards for himself and those around him. He allowed only brief glimpses of the caring, compassionate man under his intense, driven facade, though he did mellow in later years.
Without any doubt, Gary loved and was deeply committed to his family and country. He often talked with passion and great pride about each of his family members, especially his children and his wife of many years. They clearly were the highlights of his life. He also talked a lot about flying and had an endless supply of USAF stories to fit any occasion. I enjoyed those stories, his ornery sense of humor and endearing chuckle.
My favorite memory of Gary is about thirty years ago when he was my new boss. He did something that really ticked me off at work and I walked out. I was young, just starting my career and it was really a dumb move. Gary waited a couple of hours to give me time to cool off (and I’m betting also to reflect on my own stupidity) and then called me at home. After identifying himself in his usual firm tone, I could then hear the slight amusement in his voice when he said, “And how are you?” He never said a word of admonishment. He didn’t have to. Instead, he quietly listened while I chewed myself out. When I was finished, he simply said, “See you tomorrow?” Then he never said another word about it. That day he earned my loyalty for life. He instinctively knew how to motivate people to do their best. I learned so much from him over the years.
My sincere condolences to Chris, Kathy, Mary and all of Gary’s family. The world doesn’t seem quite the same without Gary in it.
We should all thank God for men like fellow New Mexican Gary Kelly Walton.