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Walter Joseph Stanley Okrutny was born Aug. 29, 1922, in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. and passed away Oct. 21, 2020.

Walter J is preceded in life by his parents, Joseph and Helen Okrutny; one brother, Joseph Okrutny; three sisters Helen Jaracz, Sophie Okrutny and Stella Yaccino and his late wife, June Okrutny and his son Kerry Okrutny. 

Walter is survived by one sister, Nellie Meyer, of Carnegie Pennsylvania; his two grandsons, Anthony J (Tony) Okrutny and wife, Amanda, Christopher H. Okrutny and wife Christy; six great-grandchildren, Audrey, Addison, Sean, Chelsea, Austin and Kaitlynp; and his many nieces and nephews.

Walter was born in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, the son of Polish immigrants. He loved sports and followed his dream of playing professional baseball until enlisting in the US Army and serving as a paratrooper in WWII. After serving active duty in the Philippines and Japan, Walt served as an instructor at Fort Benning, Georgia.  After the war, Walt married Ms. Gloria June Askew, of Langdale. and celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary before her death in 2015.

Walter was a member of Langdale United Methodist Church, the American Legion, and has served as a member of the Silver-Hair Legislator for the state of Alabama and as a translator for Eastern European Refugees in the 1990s.  Walt was known for his many stories and tales from learning English to the Great Depression, World War II and playing professional baseball.  He was active in sports his whole life and looked forward every year to participating and competing in the Alabama and National Senior Olympic games.

A celebration of life and graveside memorial will be arranged at a later date.

Please visit his memorial tribute page at www.johnsonbrownservicefh.com to leave a kind word for his family, share a memory of Walter, or to light a remembrance candle in his memory.

Johnson Brown-Service Funeral Home of Valley is directing.