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| Wally Walske was an icon
in the Comanche Trail Council, BSA, having been involved in Scouting for
most of his life, including that as a young Scout. His many honors
do not begin to tell the influence he had on thousands, yes thousands of
youth, in the council.
He became an Eagle Scout, as an adult, earning it the same time as his oldest son Don, on March 29, 1962, while he was Scoutmaster for Troop 78 in Brownwood. His youngest son, Walter Gary, earned his Eagle Award just a few years later on September 16, 1964, also in Troop 78. They were an Eagle Scout family.
He cooked outstanding meals at their Fellowships and Inductions for several years. He would go to camp on Thursday to start preparing the meals that were served on Saturday. Everything was made from scratch. Walske made all of the Otena Lodge patches on plywood, including the lodge patch that was taken to many of the National Order of the Arrow Conferences. He made the candle lanterns that lighted the way to the ceremonial ring. |
| He served as Assistant Senior
Patrol Leader of the first Timber Tag Scout Leader Training Course held
at Camp Billy Gibbons in 1968. He took Walking Wood Badge SR 18 June
19-17, 1993 at Philmont Scout Ranch and completed earning his beads on
December 21, 1994. He was a member of the Wood Badge Eagle Patrol.
He was a Scoutmaster, both in Lampasas and Brownwood, and an Explorer Post Advisor, having helped many young Scouts obtained the rank of Eagle Scout. He joined Scouting in 1933 as a Scout in Troop 9, Chicago, IL and was a member until 1938. In March of 1956, he became Scoutmaster of Troop 33, Lampasas, sponsored by the American Legion Post #277, and was registered in that capacity to March 1961. After he moved to Brownwood, he became Scoutmaster of Troop 78, sponsored by the Church of Good Shepherd, in 1961, and was Scoutmaster through February of 1990. He was Assistant Scoutmaster during the 1968-1969 Charter year when Bryan Healer was Scoutmaster. He was Post Adviser for Post 78 from February 1967 through February 1973, except for serving as Post Committee Chairman during the 1970-1971 Charter year. He served on the Comanche Trail Council Executive Board for over 30 years and was awarded the Silver Beaver for his outstanding service to youth in 1970 by the council, and the St. George Episcopal Award in 2004 by the Episcopal Church.
He went on Philmont Scout Ranch treks eight times. We know he went in 1966 (T-78), 1967 (Post 78), 1970 (Troop 78), 1971 (Troop 78), 1972 (Troop 78), 1975 (Troop 78), 1997 (Troop 14), and 1998 (Troop 12). Walske took Explorer Post 78 to the Sommers Canoe Base in 1968. Pictured to the left, taken at Sommers Canoe Base in 1968 (Post 78), is Back Row: Walter "Wally" Walske and Bill Black. Front Row: Don Walske and Gary Walske, Wally's two sons. Other trips that Wally went
on included:
This does not even start to take into account the numerous 5 and 10 mile troop hikes that were taken in the country around Brownwood or the 10 mile hike trips to and around CBG. It also doesn't include the numerous canoe trips with the Post 78 taken on area lakes and down the Colorado River (twice). As you can see, the man was a hiker! Camp Billy Gibbons was a second home to him for many years, having taken his troop to summer camp, working on many projects at the camp, cooking for OA, serving as a Unit Commissioner, Council Camporee Chairman and on and on. Camp Billy Gibbons is a better camp because of his many years of service to the camp as a volunteer. He was a member of the Most High Order of the Donkey, Camp Billy Gibbons Alumni Association and the Camp Billy Gibbons. Jr. Alumni Association. He was granted Life Membership #1 in "Uncle Billy's Campers" organization. Walske made the large Silver Beaver badge and Eagle badge that has been used at numerous council banquets and Eagle ceremonies. Hanging in the dining hall at Camp Billy Gibbons are large wood patches of the many camporees he chaired. The following Boy Scouts earned their Eagle Award while Walske served as their Scoutmaster or Post Advisor. |
| Larry Hamilton
T-33 Lampasas 1960
Gary Black T-78 Brownwood 1970 John Bragdon T-78 Brownwood 1970 Charles T. Dummer T-78 Brownwood 1962 Allen R. Sheffield T-78 Brownwood 1972 Robert L. Oakes T-78 Brownwood 1962 Roland Smith T-78 Brownwood 1962 Don Terry T-78 Brownwood 1962 Jay Timmins T-78 Brownwood 1962 Don Walske T-78 Brownwood 1962 Jimmy C. Crook T-78 Brownwood 1964 David S. Locker T-78 Brownwood 1964 Robert S. Rothe T-78 Brownwood 1964 Walter Gary Walske T-78 Brownwood 1964 Mark M. Gordon T-78 Brownwood 1965 John T. Yantis T-78 Brownwood 1965 Dan G. DeHay T-78 Brownwood 1966 James L. Sheppard T-78 Brownwood 1966 |
John C. Pouncy
Post-78 Brownwood 1969
William (Bill) C. Egger, Jr. . T-78 Brownwood 1972 Bryan H. Allen T-78 Brownwood 1973 James C. Autry T-78 Brownwood 1973 Pete E. Cadenhead T-78 Brownwood 1973 Paul S. Cline T-78 Brownwood 1973 Christopher C. Coleman T-78 Brownwood 1973 John D. Douglas T-78 Brownwood 1973 James W. Hoppenrath T-78 Brownwood 1973 Timothy C. Goodwin T-78 Brownwood 1973 James W. Hopperrath T-78 Brownwood 1973 Charles Bart Johnwon T-78 Brownwood 1973 Robert H. Johnson T-78 Brownwood 1973 Charles Nuthy T-78 Brownwood 1973 Douglas R. Reid T-78 Brownwood 1973 William C. G. Sikes T-78 Brownwood 1973 Jeffrey B. Whisnant T-78 Brownwood 1973 Russell Romig T-78 Brownwood 1975 |
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Information for this page came from the Boy Scout Collection at the Brown County Museum of History, Nelda Walske and Don Walske. Return to Lest We Forget page Return to Home Page |
Walske
was an active member of the Otena Lodge of the Order of the Arrow and because
of his service to the Order, he was awarded the Vigil Honor on March 7,
1964. His Indian name was Wilawi which translated as "Valuable One."
He was certainly valuable to the Otena Lodge. He served as one of
the Lodge Advisers in 1968 and was adviser to many of the lodge's committees.
For decades he was the one calling out the candidates from the bluff above
the OA ring. In the 1950s he would borrow a jeep and trailer from
the local National Guard Armory to take Scouts to the OA winter fellowship
in December. He was registered with Otena Lodge from 1958 through 2003.
He was inducted in the Ordeal Honor in 1958 and received his Brotherhood
in 1959.
For
several years, Walske served as a Camp Commissioner at Camp Billy Gibbons
and earned his Doctorate Degree in the College of Commissioner Science
in 1996 at Hughes Aquatic Base near Colorado City, TX. He was active
as a Unit Commissioner for many years in the Kickapoo District.
He
went to National Boy Scout Jamborees in 1960, as