Louis Henry Walton, Jr.
May 2, 1942 - December 30, 2021

Louis Henry Walton Jr., 79, passed away peacefully on December 30, 2021. He was prepared to go and was able to say goodbye to his family. Louie was a storyteller and loved to convey a good one, long or short, given the opportunity. We get to share his story now.

Louie was born May 2, 1942 in Glendale, California to Clare Ostrander Walton and Louis Henry Walton Sr. The family moved to Willow Creek, and then on to Arcata where Louie attended High School. He would later spend the better part of his adult life, and raise a family in Willow Creek. Louie and Judith Kjer were married in 1960 and had their first child, a daughter, Barbara. sons, Jeff and Greg, were not too far behind. He and his family would live in Arcata dairy farming; Klamath Falls potato farming, and Willow Creek, where he would develop his tough work ethic working on the Fountain Ranch.

He was a jack of all trades to support his family - he did plumbing work, ranching, farming, big equipment labor and just about anything involving his hands. He worked for McCullough Plumbing doing backhoe and dump truck work - and that is where he found his passion. Eventually he went out on his own to become a backhoe and dump truck operator full time for himself. A special thank you to Jim Pelley for his friendship along with the numerous hours spent helping Louie keep his equipment running as his business thrived.

Louie never met a piece of lumber, metal, scrap or tin that he didn’t like. If you visited his shop and property, you know it was in fact, a treasure trove of “needed” materials. If you could think of it, Louie could design and make it. He was an innovative and amazing inventor of equipment that could get the job done, or at the very least, make it much easier. He subscribed to the adage that necessity is the mother of invention.

He would spend early mornings and late nights working hard to finish the job, and as many of you know, if you needed a final resting place, you could count on him to do it…rain or shine. He would crawl under your house to unclog a pipe, show up to move a humongous boulder, or drive the long mile to deliver a few yards of rock or change a flat tire. It was his work, but really it’s what made him happy.

He would have liked an outhouse and a shop with a stove, but tolerated indoor plumbing and electricity. He loved to pack up the travel trailer and hit the road; enjoyed camping at Indian Mary Campground, and loved to take the houseboat out on Shasta Lake. He loved the idea of a transcontinental train ride back to St. Louis. He loved spending time in Alaska, Canada, Quartzite, Hawaii, Mexico…but mostly he loved being in Willow Creek with a project to work on, and one to back that up just in case.

Louie married Caroline Fleming in 1998, after sharing many years together. They enjoyed running the backhoe business, traveling, as well as a tremendous love for an ever-growing, blended family. Caroline’s siblings became his own, and her grown became his family too. Together, they’d take nine of the twelve grandkids (three lived out of the area) for the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day - as a gift to their adult children. They relished being Papa and Granny, and lived up to their titles. All the grandkids sat in the backhoe seat with Papa and took a turn at doing what he loved to do. Dig holes in the dirt. They enjoyed many years together until Caroline’s unexpected passing in 2008.

In the last season of his life, Louie spent his years with Mary Roberts - a treasure to all that know her. She, and her family, loved and treated Louie with kindness and care. He was thankful for her friendship and love, and he wasn’t shy about it. He picked her flowers, wrote her notes and genuinely loved spending the rest of his days with her. He enjoyed having bonus grandkids and their families in his life. We are thankful for Mary, her family, and the “soft place” she provided for Louie to land.

Louie loved to talk about times gone by, and if you bumped into him at the PO or the store, you better hope you had time to spare - because there would be storytelling. When you were ready to leave the house, you’d best plan on an hour to say goodbye because there was a story to tell. If he was visiting, showing you the ropes, making breakfast or calling, plan an hour…you get the picture. He enjoyed many lifelong friendships, and acquaintances along the way; so many of you were a part of the story of his life, and he wanted to share it with you. In his later years, Louie was able to reconnect with friends from early childhood, and with family far away. He was truly happy to take a call or receive a letter from those he did not get the chance to see more frequently. How truly fortunate he was to find so many great people willing to listen.

Louis Walton Jr. is preceded in death by his wife Caroline; mother, Clare Ostrander Walton Marx (Larry); father, Louis Henry Walton Sr (Phyllis); son-in-laws Robert Boyer; Gary Hignite and his nephews Eric, Micheal, and Scott.

He is survived by his brother, Otis (Sharon) Walton; daughter, Barbara Boyer; son Jeffery (Wendy) Walton; son Greg (Mandee) Walton; Cathy Hignite; Chris (Mindy) Fleming; Carol (Robert) Benson; Larry’s Family; and Phyllis’s Family. Companion Mary Roberts and her family, as well as fourteen grandchildren; and fifteen great-grandchildren.

Louie’s family would like to give a special thank you to the Willow Creek Volunteer Fire Department for their quick responses, the entire staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital, and Pastor David Groe. To honor Louie’s wishes there will be no services, but there will be a celebration of life for the family in Redding.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Louie Walton’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.