Walter G Jennings

A graveside service for Walter will be held Saturday, January 8, 2022 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Rose Hills Memorial Park, 3888 Workman Mill Rd, Whittier, California 90601.

Walter will be laid to rest in Rose Hills Memorial Park, 3888 Workman Mill Rd, Whittier, California 90601; Garden of Benediction; Gate: 1, Section: 4, Lot: 1224, Grave: 3.

Walter Jennings

Walter Jennings, of Calabasas, California, died at the age of 84 on December 7th, 2021. He was preceded in death by his wife, Janyce (Rochel), and was loving father of Jeff (Stacie) and Jay (Tina). He was a proud grandfather to Jeff and Stacie’s three children, Britney, Jadon, and Jack; and Jay and Tina’s son, Matthew.

Walt was born in Indiana to Gerald and Dorothy Jennings, and grew up in Alhambra, California with his two brothers, Bob and John. While attending Occidental College, Walt participated in athletics, served in ROTC, and was an active member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.

Upon his graduation from Oxy in 1959, Walt completed Air Force pilot training and flew C-124 transports internationally from the 3rd Air Transport Squadron (MATS) at Charleston Air Force Base in South Carolina. While flying for the Air Force, Walt met his wife, Jan, an American Airlines flight attendant, at the Nile Hilton Hotel, while she was on an around-the-world vacation. They were married in 1964.

In 1965, Walt left active duty, moved back to California with Jan and Jeff (6 months old), and began flying commercially for Continental Airlines. Walt continued his military service in the California Air National Guard 146th AW. Possessing a strong desire to help others and to give back to his community, Walt became a Liaison Officer for the Air Force Academy, taking a deep and personal interest in the hundreds of recruits he brought to the Academy. In 1989, after 30 years of military service in the United States Air Force, Walt retired with the rank of Colonel. After logging close to 30,000 hours of flight time, Walt flew his final flight as a DC-10 captain in 1997, and his final flight as a DC-10 second officer in 2001.

Ever the athlete, Walt took great pride in coaching his son’s sports teams, particularly their YMCA Gra-Y Falcons, which played football, basketball, soccer, and track. Walt enjoyed golfing and was an avid water skier, spending much of his vacation time over the past 52 years at his house at Bass Lake, California.

There is a charming joke, “How do you know someone is a pilot? He’ll tell you.” Walt was no exception, and he had an unending stream of uproarious tales from his years as a pilot. He was a gifted storyteller with a huge smile, and an even bigger laugh. Walt charmed and entertained everyone he met, and he will be missed.

A private memorial service, with full military honors, was held at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to a deserving charity that provides assistance to individuals and families in need.