Walter H. Steet, Jr., passed away of natural causes on Jan. 6, 2022, in Ephraim.
Walter (“Herb”) was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on Nov. 19, 1932. His life was very full of accomplishments. He worked for Goodyear in Akron, Ohio, and worked 17 years with McDonnell Douglas.
Some of his professional roles and titles included being Boeing’s senior engineer/scientist specialist, a college drafting teacher, press photographer, peace officer, security and private investigator, owner/mechanic of Buckeye British, Calif., and parachutist. He also earned his 7th Degree Black Belt through Ed Parker’s Kenpo Karate, by President Andrew Wood.
Ed Parker was a close friend and highly recommended Herb. He said regardless of his rank, people would judge him by the ability and character of the students he produced. Herb dedicated the Hemet Studio in the memory of Ed Parker and the Spirit of Kenpo.
In addition to speaking Japanese, Herb owned and taught in his many Kenpo Karate dojo schools. Many of his black belt students now teach at their own schools. He also studied other martial arts forms, including Shotokan, Go Soko Ryu, Shaolin, Aikido, and Tai Chi Chuan.
Many of his classmates and instructors are now world-famous. Herb was inducted into both The Martial Arts Hall of Fame and the Filipino Martial Arts Hall of Fame and was featured in Martial Arts Business Magazine, 1995 March/ April.
Herb loved to race motorcycles on flat tracks in Ohio and California, and he later was in an accident that resulted in leg amputation below the knee from a motorcycle vs. vehicle crash.
He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was ordained to the office of High Priest. He served in the Manti Temple. He was an Eagle Scout and spent time serving as both a Cub master and Scoutmaster, as well as an Explorer Leader.
His wife Joan passed away on May 6, 2002. He is survived by 5 children, 8 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great-grandchildren born in 2021, and his sister, Marian.
He will be laid to rest next to Joan in the family plot in Wilbur, Oregon.
*As written on their headstone … “Let your Light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and Glorify your Father which is in Heaven. Matthew 5:16”
