Walter August Mueller, 69, of Valparaiso, passed away on February 24th, 2023. Walter was born on Halloween in 1953 to Julia and Walter Sr. Mueller in Jersey City, NJ. After graduation from Hudson Catholic High School, Walter briefly studied herpetology at Arizona State University. Walter returned to New Jersey and became a volunteer EMS. To further his career in emergency response, he moved to Valparaiso, IN to become a paramedic in the expanding field. While working in the hospital, he met Teresa Stanley, an ICU nurse. Walter and Teresa fell in love with each other’s intellect and mutual compassion for medicine. In 1980, they were married and went on to have two children, Kathryn and David. During his train commutes, Walter penned a memoir titled 7,000 & Counting, about his career in emergency medicine in the decade spanning the 1970s and 80s.
After his paramedic career, Walter became a cardiac technician and for several years became the original work-from-home parent with his business, Quality Report Services (QRS), reading Holter monitors from their basement. After that, he returned to working in hospitals as a cardiac technician, ultimately retiring from University of Chicago Hospital in 2015. In his retirement, Walter continued his passion for saving lives by becoming a Climate Reality Mentor and enthusiastically participating in climate change advocation. He saw this as the most important pathway to leaving a more promising world to his loved ones. Walter and Teresa were able to travel and embrace being grandparents in his retirement. Walter also kept his Parkinson’s at bay by participating in Rock Steady Boxing class, undoubtedly giving him the strength to conquer many health challenges and ensuring the maximum number of years with his family.
Walter was preceded in death by his parents, Walter Sr and Julia Mueller, and his brother-in-law Michael Silverman. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Teresa, his children Kathryn (Daniel) Sausman of Wilmington, NC, and David (Katie) Mueller of Chesterton, IN, grandchildren, Owen, Luke, and Tessa, sister and niece, Barbara and Kimberly Silverman of Florida.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, February 28th from 4 – 6 pm at Moeller Funeral Home in Valparaiso. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to either Climate Reality Project, of which Walter was a mentor, the Michael J Fox Foundation to help research and treatment of Parkinson's, or One Tree Planted.
GUESTBOOK
Dear Teresa Kathryn and David, I want to send my deepest thoughts, prayers, and condolences. I loved your husband and Dad very much. He will be truly missed for all of us! His interesting conversations, to his crazy mixology, his wild camping,teepee,and canoe trips! We have such great memories. Most of all through all his adversity I will never forget the way he handled it all. Never complaining and always jovial.I will miss my friend greatly! However, he fought a valiant fight and I am so glad he is with the angels and suffering no more. As you are also! -Laura Hadt
My deepest sympathies to Teresa, Kathryn and David for this heavy loss. I send prayers for peace and healing. May Walter be in a better place through Jesus.
I was a friend of Walter's growing up in Union City during the 1960's. I along with Fred, Jean and Craig would play ping pong in his parent's basement for hours on end. Walter was an excellent player. We would listen to 8 track tapes of Iron Butterfly, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, etc. Walter would lift weights. He had a chemistry set that we used for model rockets and other experiments. He had a pet boa constrictor snake. We were all involved Boy Scouts, camping, and lots of sports. It was a time of great fun and learning. I remember Walter as being a straight shooter. You always knew what he thought about things. Whatever he did, he did it 100%. He would commit to what he believed in. We would talk about life, the good and the bad and the future. He would stoically face challenges. He was a very good man. During the late 1980's, Fred and I visited him at his home in Valparaiso. Walt showed us around, at places like the Chicago waterfront, Blues Club and Cicero. A real interesting experience. During that trip Fred and I visited Jean's brother Alfred in Fairfield, Iowa. The last time I saw Walter was about 15 years ago when he was visiting New Jersey. I met Walt and Fred at a hotel in Weehawken where he was staying. We went to the hotel bar/restaurant and we talked like old times. It was an honor to be Walter's friend. I will miss him greatly. -Jerry Sciancalepore
