William "Bill" B. Walton

William “Bill” B. Walton, age 76, of Valparaiso, Indiana passed away peacefully on January 14, 2022, surrounded by his family. Bill is survived by his loving wife of 33 years Judith (Chmiel) and is lovingly remembered by his children: Catherine Weiss (Bradley), Karen Yandel (David), and William J. Walton (Stefanie); Grandchildren: Ashley Jones (William), Lyndie Walton, Kristina Walton, Colin Yandel, William T. Walton, Abigail Walton, Austin Shultz, Cameron Shultz, and six great grandchildren; Siblings Jay Walton (Donnalee Dox), and Susie Duchmann (Jeff). He made lasting memories with family members and many dear friends. Bill was born in San Antonio, Texas to William J. and Dorothy on August 15, 1945. Bill grew up in the Miller section of Gary, Indiana. He attended Wirt High School graduating in 1963. After high school Bill enlisted in the United States Marines. Although he was discharged due to medical reasons, Bill was always a Marine at heart and showed this through his support of the local Marine League, receiving the Distinguished Service Award on several occasions. After the Marines, Bill entered the apprenticeship for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 697. Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship, Bill became a full-time employee of the family business, Continental Electric Co., Inc. Bill was the third generation to work at Continental and after the sudden passing of his father in 1975, he was thrust into a leadership position. With true determination in his heart and mind, Bill set off to maintain and enhance Continental’s record of success. Becoming the sole owner of Continental in 1986, he made this a reality and successfully guided Continental for the next 30 years. Bill took great pride in the contribution Continental has made to building the infrastructure of Northwest Indiana. During this period Bill served as a Trustee to the IBEW 697 Benefit Funds, Joint Apprenticeship Training Center and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). In 2016 Bill passed Continental on to the next generation of family so that he could start to enjoy his retirement. In addition to a wide range of adventures with Judi, Bill perhaps enjoyed the time they spent together the most. Bill had a supportive group of friends and deeply appreciated the many great experiences he had with them throughout his life. Bill had an abiding love for the beauty of Lake Michigan and South Florida and was grateful for the many opportunities he had to enjoy its beauty with family and friends on his boats. Bill was a car enthusiast and was the proud owner of many classics in addition to several modern sports cars. As an avid Cubs fan, he loved to banter with his friends about the Cubs – Sox crosstown rivalry. Bill loved to read and truly enjoyed anything related to sports or World War II. Bill was a proud member of the Hunkee Hollow Athletic Club (HHAC) for over three decades and became a Gold Card member in 2019. Bill was very proud to be a member of the HHAC and to play an important role in the charity that the HHAC supported, Cerebral Palsy of Northwest Indiana. With several dogs playing the role of man’s best friend over the years, Bill loved animals and was a generous contributor to many animal welfare organizations. Visitation will take place on Tuesday, January 18, 2022 from 2 – 8 p.m. and Wednesday, January 19, 2022 from 9 a.m. until the time of the funeral service at 10 a.m. at Burns Funeral Home, 10101 Broadway, Crown Point. Interment Calumet Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to would be appreciated to Cerebral Palsy of Northwest Indiana, The Humane Society of Northwest Indiana, and VNA Hospice of Northwest Indiana. www.burnsfuneral.com

William "Bill" B. Walton

August 15, 1945 - January 14, 2022