Walter A. Alderman

Walter A. Alderman, 86, of Omaha, formerly of St. Paul, died Saturday, July 3, 2010, at the Omaha Nursing Home in Omaha. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the United Methodist Church in St. Paul. The Revs. Joel Rathbun and Loren Mullins will officiate. Burial will be in the Elmwood Cemetery in St. Paul, with graveside military honors by Carl Mogensen American Legion Post 119 of St. Paul. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the church. Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is in charge of the arrangements. Mr. Alderman was born on June 25, 1924, at Council Bluffs, IA, the son of George and Sylvia (Shepherd) Alderman. He was united in marriage to Betty Lou (Pedersen) Samsula on March 22, 1963, at Kearney. He is survived by his wife, Betty Lou Alderman of Omaha; four daughters and three sons-in-law, Alison Alderman-Dreher and Timothy Dreher of LaVista, Rebecca Alderman of Omaha, Jill and Kenn Anderson of LaVista, and Sheila and Craig Reinke of Omaha; five sons and three daughters-in-law, David Samsula of Omaha, Barry and Susan Samsula of Plano, TX, Doug and Ann Alderman of Henderson, NV, Gordon and Mary Alderman of DeSoto, TX, and Bruce Alderman of McKinney, TX; two brothers and one sister-in-law, Darreld and Delores Alderman of Independence, MO and Byford Alderman of Kansas City, KS; and one sister and brother-in-law, Shrie and Jack Hinrichsen of Pawnee City. He also leaves to cherish his memory 21 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. As a young child, Walt moved to Table Rock with his family, where he grew up and graduated from Table Rock High School in 1942. After graduation he became interested in flying. As a result, he earned the name “Sky King”. He enlisted, as a pilot, in the U.S. Navy’s V-5 Cadet program in 1942, serving until his discharge in 1945, and then served in the Reserves from 1951 to 1954. He received his teaching certificate from Kearney State College in 1962 and taught in rural schools near Kearney and Ord. He also ran his own radio and television repair shop and worked for Martin Guided Missiles, constructing countdown controls and auto pilots for the first Titan Missiles. He began a career of crop dusting/aerial spraying and operated out of airports in Superior, Kearney and Ord. In 1966, he and his wife, Betty purchased land north of St. Paul and operated Walt’s Aerial Spraying out of their own airport. They eventually added farming and custom combining to the business. He retired from the aviation business in 1983 and moved his family into St. Paul and started farming on a full time basis. In Dec. 2007, Walt and Betty moved to Omaha to be closer to their family. He was a member of the United Methodist Church, Carl Mogensen American Legion Post 119, the St. Paul Country Club, and the Danish Brotherhood Lodge 113. He also served on the St. Paul School Board from 1985 to 1996 of which he was also a past president. He was the original founder of the Nebraska Aerial Trade Association, as well as a past president, treasurer and member of their board of directors. He was recognized as the NATA Airman of the Year in 1992. He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Dr. Mark Alderman; one sister, Lucille Clark; and two brothers, Arthur and Duaine Alderman. Please sign Walt’s guestbook by visiting www.petersfuneralhome.net. Memorials are suggested to the United Methodist Church in St. Paul or the St. Paul Country Club. More details will appear later