The following is the eulogy delivered at his funeral on Tuesday, September 5:

Walter’s life consisted of seven main chapters and I hope that we can do justice in presenting his wonderful and long life, so well lived.

Walter’s Early Life 1917 – 1939

Walter was born in East Chinnock, a small village in Somerset to Charles (Charl) and Anne Pike on October 15, 1917. He was the eldest of three children with his siblings, the twins George and Kathleen, born six-years later.

It is fair to say that his early beginnings were somewhat humble, with his father a farm labourer and his mother a home maker, who needed to take in laundry to meet the family budget requirements.

Charl was well regarded in the village and by his employer. Walter used to often say that his father was one of the most knowledgeable people he had ever met and despite limited education was a keen reader and could put his hand to everything relating to farming and animal husbandry.

Walter described his early years as happy years.

Although very shy, he was a gifted student and attended the local village school in East Chinnock. On winter’s days he used to walk to school with hot potatoes in his pockets to keep his hands warm. These then became his school lunch. On a visit to England in 1999, Di and I with Walter and his sister Kath revisited East Chinnock and called in to the village shop where there was a photo in a book on the history of the village, including Walter’s early school class. Even so, many years later, he was able to name virtually all of his fellow students. This information was most gratefully received by the author!

Soon after his parents moved to the neighbouring village of North Perrott, where Charl was highly regarded by his tenant farmer employer as the man to defer to in all aspects of the running of the farm. Walter would help out with the milking of cows, planting of crops and with the harvesting.

He was also responsible for taking the massive clydesdale horses to the farrier to be shod, which he hated doing as he was so small and the horses so huge.

He realised very early on that farm labouring was not for him and he set his sights on becoming a school master.

His talent was recognised at a very early age and his primary school teachers were keen for him to qualify for the local grammar school, Crewkerne Grammar School, established by Henry the VIII in 1499.  This was a big deal for any village lad, and to Walter’s surprise his entry exams contained most of the questions that his supportive teachers had prepared him for!

At an early age he became widely read, as one of his family jobs was to run to the nearest village store every week to pick up the local and national newspapers, a distance of perhaps a mile or two. By the time he arrived home, he had read most of the national and international news of the week!

He excelled at Grammar school and for most years was the dux of his class. Interestingly to us today, he once mentioned to me that he needed to overcome some social class discrimination, particularly in the year at he was elected school captain.

Walter never forgot the many people who assisted his progress in reaching his academic goals. He won a scholarship to attend Exeter College, a college of London University in those days.

However this scholarship only paid fees. Unsolicited, Walter was supported with his living expenses through his university years by the local squire, and his father’s employer, who both took an interest in his university education.

What a wonderful accolade to Walter and his family’s esteem in the village.

By all accounts Walter worked hard at university. Apart from study he was a keen hash harrier and ran for the university team, with his main interest being team long distance running. He once told me that his best time for 100 yards was 10.3 seconds, which I reckon means that he would have out-sprinted me in my prime by about 10 yards!

Walter was awarded his BA with honours and a Diploma of Education in the summer of 1939 not long before World War II started. He was appointed as a teacher to a school in London on the day that war was declared. As fate would have it he shared his class with a Sheila Hobbs as his co-teacher. Thus began a relationship of epic proportions!

Walter’s War Years 1939 – 1945

During his later university years, war seemed inevitable. Walter, with many of his fellow university students, joined the army reserves. On the declaration of war in September 1939 he and most of his university mates volunteered to join up for officers’ school. In the first weeks of training the young university graduates very cheekily suggested to their well meaning sergeant that they would like to get a cup of tea in bed every morning before parade. With a few pounds involved sure enough the new recruits received their cup of tea each morning! However things got serious thereafter.

Soon after, he was appointed to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and reached the rank of Captain.

Whilst Walter was posted on many training exercises in England and Scotland over the years of the war, he found time during leave to court Sheila and they married in Bournemouth on April 12, 1941. The marriage was blessed on August 6, 1942 with the birth of a daughter, Sue. Needless to say this was a most exciting event, but life in London was dangerous as evening bombing raids were frequent. Fortunately for all of us, Sheila and Sue survived all the mayhem and destruction.

Meanwhile, Walter was at the beck and call of his regiment and eventually the big day arrived – June 6, 1944, D-Day. Walter landed in Normandy at Sword Beach in the second wave. His battalions’ orders were to take up position some miles inland, following information that the immediate area had been already cleared of enemy opposition. Their convoy proceeded inland but Field Marshall Rommell’s Panzers were awaiting them and started popping off the leading vehicles.

Soon after, Sheila received a telegram from the MOD that Walter was missing in action. After some worrying weeks Walter managed to get news through that he was safe, but unfortunately interned in a POW camp in Germany, Oflag 79. In one of his diary entries Walter noted that he had been captured with only the clothes he stood up in, but managed to scrounge around and find a blanket from which he fashioned a jacket to keep warm.

His POW camp in Germany, although well managed, was no holiday camp and Walter wrote that he was always cold and hungry. Like many of his mates, he kept busy learning Russian amongst other things and organising the catering requirements for his hut. During this time of incarceration Walter’s religious beliefs were very important to him as a source of comfort. Many of his notes refer to church services and instruction he received in the Catholic religion. Throughout this period and his whole life the Lord’s Prayer provided his spiritual support.

Oflag 79 was liberated by the Americans on April 12, 1945, Walter and Sheila’s wedding anniversary and soon after Walter returned to England, to Sheila and Sue.

It took some time for little Sue to realise that the new man in her life was in fact her Daddy, whom she only knew as a photo.

What a family reunion that must have been! And on February 17, 1946 the family of three became four, with the birth of Sheila Jayne

England 1945 – 1953

On re-joining civvy street Walter enjoyed family life in Caterham in Surrey with Sheila and the two girls. Sheila’s aged father, John Hobbs, was also living with them. Walter was a natural father and husband and had the happy knack of making everyone, both family and friends, feel special.

Meanwhile he had joined the staff at Wallington Grammar School in Surrey as a subject master and everything looked rosy. Most importantly for his future professional prospects, he concentrated on gaining his MA through London University.

Perhaps not surprisingly, our father was a political supporter of the Liberal Party in England and canvassed and door knocked in support of this new party, proposing many changes in England post war.

Meanwhile, the family peace was disturbed more than somewhat when Kevin was born on September 12, 1948, Grandpa Hobbs’ 86th birthday, and Damien on September 21, 1951. Grandpa Hobbs died in 1951 and the family then started thinking about immigration with the choices being South Africa, Canada and Australia. Fortunately for the family and I reckon for Australia - Australia won!

Australia: The early years 1953 – 1955

So the Pike family from England became part of the great post-war migration from Europe to Australia. Walter had secured a teaching position at North Sydney Boys Technical High School, so the six-week’s voyage from England to Australia on the ageing SS Esperance Bay was an exciting family holiday before beginning his Australian career.

(An interesting aside is that the vessel that brought the family to Australia was also the ship that repatriated Bill Humphrey (whose family is well represented here today) from Changi POW camp after the war.)

Old friendships in England, although now separated by distance, remained life-long friendships, whilst Australian friendships started immediately on the boat train from London to Southhampton, with the Pike family sharing a carriage with Hugh and Pat Marsden.

Whilst Walter’s employment was secure, the family residential accommodation was far from comfortable, due to the dire shortage of housing in post-war Australia.

Walter, Sheila and family were settled, as were most immigrants, at Bradfield Park Migrant’s Centre in Nissan huts, a far cry from the comforts of the “gentleman’s residence”, which they enjoyed “back home” in Surrey.

Notwithstanding their inadequate accommodation, which they realised was only temporary, Walter and Sheila forged new friendships in the settlement community and this trend continued throughout their lives. If you were a friend of Walter’s and Sheila’s you were a friend for life.

One significant addition to the family during the Bradfield Park era was the friendly adoption of Veronica Crilly, who’s parents had decided to return to England. Our parents offered to look after her, which they did for some nine months or so. Their kindness had a huge impact on Veronica’s life and she regarded Walter and Sheila as her surrogate parents and has remained a close friend and frequent visitor from her home in the United States over all the years since. Her last visit was April this year and Walter was pleased to see her.

Later in 1953, Walter was informed by the NSW Department of Education that he had been appointed to the staff of Narrandera High School from first term 1954.

Having survived bush fires in Bradfield Park, and Hawkesbury river floods whilst holidaying near Windsor, the Pikes were now prepared for life in country NSW.

The accommodation for the family was now a comfortable house in Roberts Street in Narrandera.

The two years the Pikes spent in Narrandera were important for a number of reasons.

On July 14, 1955, Sarah was born (the apple of all our eyes). Walter gave her the nick-name of Sally and even today, I have problems calling her by her rightful name!

Walter converted to the Catholic Church, and I well remember those Sundays in Church and as Walter had a strong voice, I used to like following his lead in enthusiastically singing those traditional Catholic hymns of the 50’s. Meanwhile Damien not terribly interested in church proceedings was constantly demanding biscuits!

New and endearing friendships were formed such as with the Sattersthwaite and Fletcher families and most importantly Walter’s career was beginning to take off with his appointment to the History faculty at The Armidale Teachers College commencing in first term 1956.

Armidale 1956 – 1969

Professionally, Armidale proved to be an exciting time in Walter’s career. His prospects at Armidale Teachers College looked very good and with encouragement from his then principal and mentor, Dr Bassett, Walter was encouraged to apply for advancement as positions became available. In his late 30’s he was on his professional way up.

Amongst other professional organisations, he joined the Australian College of Education and remained a senior member of that institution throughout his career.

Armidale provided the opportunity of a more permanent residency than his previous two appointments and both Walter and Sheila enthusiastically involved themselves in the Armidale community.

Walter’s community involvements included:

Golf continued to be a keen interest for Walter in later years in Kiama and he played rounds with his old friend Elliott, up to the age of 96.

Meanwhile the family was growing with Tim and Mary joining the family. With now seven kids aged from two to 15 years times were sometimes stressful. However Walter was a dedicated father and in a most caring way was always firm in ensuring that we learnt from our mistakes. He encouraged us to be aware of making the right decisions in our respective paths through life.

Sue, being the eldest was a tremendous leader and she and Walter enjoyed a close bond.

Sue, being an accomplished pianist would often lead us in a family sing song around the piano. Walter had a great repertoire of old favourites. There was  “Susanah’s a Funny Old Sow”, which  included pig noises that only he could master and of course the old family favourite “On Ilkley Moor Bartat!”

After mass on Sundays, we looked forward eagerly to family picnics in the countryside and we were all encouraged to take up swimming with all the children becoming above average swimmers, despite Sarah nearly drowning on one occasion.

Sheila was the driving force behind Walter's career, and she was always most supportive.

She was an excellent caterer and hostess and home parties of Walter’s work colleagues and their  friends were legendary and great fun.

Walter and Sheila with the best of intentions decided that it would be in the best scholastic interest for their kids to attend boarding school.

Certainly Joey’s was for the most part a successful choice for the boys, but I suspect the choice of Lochinvar did not provide a great period of enjoyment for my sisters. Nevertheless we all matriculated.

With the older children left home and settled Walter and Sheila with three children at school moved into the next exciting phase of their lives with Walter’s appointment as Deputy Principal of Wollongong Teachers College after 12-months in Sydney.

A well-deserved promotion.

Wollongong 1970 – 1990

It strikes me that having the advantage of access to dad's memoirs we could have recorded them and played them over the PA.  

Walter arrived in Wollongong in July 1969 to take up his position at the Wollongong Teachers College.  He  worked for three more principals before his talents were finally recognised and he was awarded the position as principal of that college in 1978.

In his memoirs he writes with great joy of the responsibility of escorting the Queen around the college on her visit to Wollongong in 1970. At that time he was acting in the job as principal due to the absence of the then incumbent who was overseas. I remember he purchased the fountain pen used by the queen to sign the visitors book out of his own pocket so that his purloining of said object as a souvenir of the occasion could not be undone.

Walter served for many years on the University of Wollongong Council and his contributions to that institution - particularly his work on transitioning the Teachers College (by then known as the Institute of Education) into the faculties of the new then infant university - were recognised in him being awarded an honorary doctorate of which he was rightfully very proud as were we all.  

There are two photographs which I think are particularly good - one in his uniform as an officer of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and the other of him in his Doctorial Robe, both on the cover of the order of service today.

In 1980 Walter left the College to become Assistant to the Director of Catholic Education at a time when the Catholic Church saw the need to lift their fragmented educational activities into a professional organisation.  He worked with them till he finally retired in 1984.

When Annabel graduated from the university, Walter was on the stage with many the other robed senior academics.  Having been handed her degree by the Vice Chancellor she stopped in front of Walter and doffed her mortarboard and Damien remembers dad struggling to find a gap in his robe through which he could reach to doff his own cap in return. As a scholar and historian he had a keen sense of purpose in institutional traditions and enjoyed them immensely.

Wollongong was a new direction for Walter and he and Sheila quickly set about making new friends. They renewed the acquaintance of Hugh and Pat Marsden whom they had first met on the train to the ship on their departure from England, the Marsden's returning after a period of Hugh studying in England.

Walter’s position came with an entertaining allowance of sorts and mum set about spending it although I am sure the rate of expenditure far exceeded the allowance.  In the tome that is his memoirs Dad mentions the great support he received from John Gammage, Arch Millar, Rodney Hollands, Jack Huxley, Roger Copley, David Anderson, Joan Shaw, Hazel Holmwood and Frank Osborne et al all of whom I remember as being regular guests in the College Residence and later the Greenslopes home.

Dad become particularly close friends with Howard Akitt also a gentleman by any definition and an academic colleague with whom he shared a sense of humour, a love of history and a similar background in as much as Howard had left Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe for the information of those under the age of 40) searching for a better life for his family in Australia.  Howard and his wife Nan became great friends and I remember Dad's sadness when Howard passed away not long after he (Howard) retired from the college.

In addition to his academic connections, Church, Rotary and Mum's Toastmistress club introduced many friends.  David and Judy Crowe were close friends for many years. In fact David and Dad were golfing buddies well into his eighties or later with his other mate Elliot (if the prowess could be described as golf but none the less enjoyed), also is a name which was associated with them for many years.

Having returned to England in 1969, the travel bug bit and as the children became less demanding on their time and finances, they spent as many holidays as they could travelling within and outside of Australia.

Jane and I often joked that when Mum and Dad went travelling Sarah got to look after the colour TV and we got the dog – Benny.  That was a bit lopsided as Sarah introduced Benny (Bennalong) to the family when the Queen opened the Opera House in 1970.  A strange animal with some interesting hang ups! (The dog, not the queen).

During the Wollongong years those at school left school, started careers and married.

Tim remembers with great pride that it was his Dad, Walter, who presented the keynote address at his farewell from Joeys.

Shortly after Walter’s retirement Judy Crowe introduced mum and dad to a little cottage in Minnamurra Street Kiama. They bought the cottage and moved on to yet another adventure.

Kiama 1990 – 2017

The Kiama years were Walters time in the sun!

He and Sheila loved living in Minnamurra Street, the house was perfect for them overlooking the harbour, walking distance to town and close to Sarah and Geoff who, being shift workers with two small children were often in need of overnight babysitting and preschool pick ups!

They settled into a life of morning swims in the rockpool, walks along the harbour, pizza nights in the park, meeting and socialising with new friends, researching and organising their next overseas travel adventure, and of course at the end of the day always a pre-dinner G&T on the front deck overlooking Kiama Harbour.

They immersed themselves into the community and enjoyed friendships made from the Church community, the Historical Society, Friends of the Library and Kiama Probus. True to form he became President of Kiama Probus from 1996 – 97.

He and Sheila joined a local group who travelled to Fiji to rebuild a convent and school decimated by a cyclone.

The Family Group was a lovely network and a source of friendship and social gatherings, bush walks, picnics, movie nights, golf days, camping weekends and assorted gatherings. Elliott, Jean and Bill, Donna, Amanda, Louise, Rebecca, Trish and Stan are a few of the lifelong friends who’s friendship and support continued until his final days.

The Minnamurra Street neighbours also proved to be a lively network of friendship and support, Edith, Bridie, Jenny, the Stowers, Yabslies and Ryans all lived nearby.

After Sheila died, his pace of life slowed a little and while he maintained his social network, he was happy to spend hours reading and devoured books at an extraordinary rate. When he started to find books difficult to hold he graduated to a Kindle eBook, another example of his resilient nature.

Probus meetings and weekly golf game with David, John, Elliott and the other Probus cohort, became the highlight of his week. When his mobility decreased, Geoff assisted both he and Eilliot Gibson to maintain this routine acting as both nurse and golf caddy!  He often enjoyed a game with Sarah and her GP friend Leigh and would quip, “ I feel safe playing golf with my personal nurse and doctor!”

Always the scholar and keen to keep up with technology he was determined to conquer the computer.  It was a steep learning curve even for such an intelligent man but he persevered in order to write Sheila’s memoirs and then his own, to ensure his own history was well documented.

He struggled to understand the concept of the internet agonising about where is it? And, how does it work? - until Sarah placated him with “dad you don’t have to understand how an engine works in order to drive your car!”

He became very proficient at communicating with his many family and friends via email. Every day he proof read the Sydney Morning Herald - how easy was it to send a letter to the Editor once he had mastered email!!

Grandchildren

He loved his grandchildren and great grandchildren and they were all growing rapidly. With the help of his improving computer skills and email, he was able to keep up with them all, sending them jokes and stories in reply to their messages and photos.

Photos adorned his room, his fridge and walls were covered in artwork, and all sorts of evidence of singing, dancing, sporting and academic awards and achievements!

He was a great father and an excellent grandfather.

He was proud of you all and loved you all very much.

He was tolerant of tattoos and piercings, amused at the latest hairstyles and fashion trends and always was keenly interested in hearing about your achievements and ambitions.

He watched from the sidelines with pride as he marveled at the assortment of individuals you turned out to be!

Walter wanted to live in Minnamurra Street for as long as possible and with the help of Geoff and Sarah and a team of in-house care workers he managed to do this until he was 97.

He was a little apprehensive about his move to Warrigal Albion Park Rail but with Sarah’s support he settled in well. As was his style he accepted this next stage of his life with dignity and grace.

He lived the next three years quietly and peacefully spending lots of time reading and keeping up with the news of the world via ABCTV and the Sydney Morning Herald!

He looked forward to visits from family and friends, happy to see them and catch up with family news. He endeared himself to the staff at Warrigal and became very close to them. He always had a smile as he greeted them for the day. He was interested in their lives and families and he would often share a story from his life with them. He still had that knack of making everyone feel special.

He was grateful and appreciative of the way they treated him as an individual with dignity and respect. Our family will be forever grateful for the care and attention, the staff at Warrigal so lovingly gave to Walter.

He was looking forward to his 100 birthday party in October, (making sure he had big birthday gatherings from 95 onwards just in case!!) but sadly it was not to be.

He had become more and more frail over the past few months and two weeks ago we realised he was facing his final days.

On Wednesday, August 23 at 2pm with family by his side, his room filled with family photos he quietly and gently passed away. Just as he had lived his life his last days and moments were undemanding, dignified and peaceful.

Walter touched many people in his lifetime with his great intelligence and wisdom, his generosity of spirit, his zest for life and his dignified sense of justice. He was a true gentleman. His was a life well lived.   

We were blessed to have him as a father and lucky to have him in our lives for so long.

Out for 99 – what a great Innings! He will be greatly missed.

Want more from the Kiama Independent? Try these:

Illawarra riders bound for Canberra police memorial

Shark rescue hero Joel Trist gets Star of Courage for bravery