Walter “Bus” Lietz, Jr., passed into the arms of Jesus on Friday morning, February 17th, 2023, in Mesquite, Texas, where he was living over the past year. He is preceded in death by his parents: Walter and Christina Lietz, his sisters Mildred Hauer and Nyla Gehrt; his wife Helen survives.
Walter was born March 4th, 1932, in the Snokomo Community to Walter Carl Lietz, Sr., and Christina (Steck) Lietz. Walter grew up on the family farm in Snokomo and graduated primary school from District 32, Paxico Rural High School and Kansas State University. He served in the Air Force from 1954 to 1956 at Wichita Falls, Texas, having earned the rank of Captain.
He married Helen Lucille (Miller) Lietz on April 24th, 1955, at Trinity Lutheran Church, McFarland, Kansas. Walter was active in the community serving as 4-H community leader for eight years, and USD School Board for six years. He was active in the dairy business serving as director and an executive board member for the Mid-America Dairymen Association for many years.
After 29 years of farming, Walter and Helen left the farm and moved to Wichita, Kansas where he worked for Boeing for eight years as a systems analyst in the IT Department, and later moved to Oklahoma City, where he retired after working for Hertz Corp in 2002.
Walter and Helen have three children: Richard (Miriam Hicklin), Richmond, CA, Diane Baxter (Palmore), Kerrville, TX, and Leslie Kramer (James) Nashville, TN, and seven grandchildren: August Lietz, Dr. Madeleine Horn (Wolfgang), Adler Lietz (Morgan Konechne), Laura Baxter, Sarah Baxter, Evan Kramer (Zarni de Wet), Dr. Andrew Kramer (Alicia Halberg) and one great grandson, Colton James Kramer.
A graveside memorial service will be held Sunday afternoon (May 28, 2023) at 2:00 at Bethlehem Cemetery (Snokomo).
Cards of sympathy may be sent to Helen Lietz, in Care of Sophyas Assisted Living: 2621 Beeman Drive, Mesquite, Texas 75181.
Memorials are requested to Trinity Lutheran Church, McFarland, Kansas and may be sent to Campanella & Stewart Funeral Home, P. O. Box 48, Wamego, KS 66547.
The Lietz Family Reunion will be held at the Trinity Lutheran Fellowship Hall at 11:00 AM, immediately after the Worship Service on Sunday May 28th. A catered meal will be served.