Walter A. Fadness, 85, Valley City, ND passed away at the ND Veterans Home in Lisbon, ND on November 20, 2022.  His funeral service will be 2:00 PM, Saturday, November 26, 2022, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Valley City.  Burial will be in the Spring at Memory Gardens Cemetery.  The service will be live streamed, then archived, on a link provided along with his obituary on his tribute page at www.lerudmathias.com.  An online guestbook is available there as well.

Walter was born December 9, 1936, in McHenry, ND, the 8th child of Severt and Tilda (Bergstad) Fadness.  On October 1, 1961, Walter married the love of his life, Shirley June Webber of Buffalo, ND at Trinity Lutheran Church in Valley City, ND.  They were blessed with three children, Wade Allen, Greta Lynn, and Leah Teresa.  Shirley, their children, and grandchildren Brett, Braedan, Hailey and Ali Jo were his life.  Shirley died July 30, 2001, after nearly 40 years of marriage.

He attended McHenry Public School graduating in 1954.  That fall he attended Spokane Telegraph School in Spokane, WA.  In the Spring of 1955, he was hired by the Northern Pacific Railway as Agent-telegrapher where he worked until 1969.

In August 1958, he joined the US Air Force, and proudly served as a cryptographer until honorably discharged in 1962.  He was stationed in Texas, Okinawa, and Washington, D.C.  He returned to Valley City and continued to work for the railroad until 1969.  In 1970, he was hired by the US Postal Service and continued there until retiring in 1998.  During his retirement years, he worked part time for the South Central Adult Services and for Stoudt Ross Ford in Valley City as a driver.

As a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, he served on committees, including the Church Council and was President of the council for 3 years.  He was treasurer of the church from 1973 until 2009.

Survivors include his 3 children, Wade (Sandra) of Phoenix, AZ, Greta (Mark) Handgis, of Phoenix, AZ, and Leah (Rocky Gabel) Fadness of Valley City, ND; grandchildren, Brett, Braedan, Hailey, and Ali Jo Kohn; great grandchildren, Aubree and Annyia; and a brother, Elton (Laurie) Fadness of The Dalles, OR and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley; brothers, Hildur, Sydney, Russell, and Donald; and sisters, Norma and Therese.

The Lerud Mathias Funeral Home in Valley City is assisting Walter’s family with arrangements.