Walter Charles Calkins

Walter (Walt) Charles Calkins December 18th, 1935 to December 31st, 2020 Walter was born in Glasgow Montana, to Abram (Abe) and Angeline Calkins. He attended Shoshone and Gooding High Schools, lettering in basketball and baseball. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in January of 1954 attending basic training at Amarillo, TX as an aircraft mechanic. He was stationed at Itazuki AFB, in Japan, and after serving 2 years, he was assigned a new duty station in Austin TX for 2 additional years, reaching the rank of Airman First Class. While stationed in Austin TX and home on leave he met the love of his life Donna Lorene Carrell, of Wendell Idaho in January of 1957 and they married in a ceremony at the Wendell Methodist Church on July 21, 1957. Following his honorable discharge, they returned to Idaho where Walt attended Boise State Junior College and worked part time as a school bus driver and in a wheel alignment shop until obtaining his Vocational Degree as a Machinist in January of 1960. The couple then moved to Redwood City, California where they started their family, son Bradley was born on 11/19/1960, and then daughter Leslie born on 8/4/1962. Walt went to work as a machinist for Western Gear Corp. (San Mateo, CA) a main player in the Bay Area in metal fabrication business related to shipbuilding. Walt worked in various machine shops in the Bay area belonging to the I.A.of M. union. He opened his own business Calkins Machine Shop in (Redwood City, CA) where he designed, machined different hoists and also developed, manufactured and marketed race car wheels to race teams throughout the West Coast. The family moved to Jerome Idaho in January 1978 to be closer to family and opened the business Calkins Machine. The couple returned to California in 1991 where Walt went to work at a machinist manufacturing firm where he designed Hubble equipment in the aerospace industry. Through the years together Walt and Donna enjoyed many traveling adventures with D. L. Evans Bank Premier Club, which included Ireland, the Oregon Coast, Route 66, South Dakota, Washington DC, and another activity they enjoyed together was bowling. In 2002 Walt and Donna retired and moved back to Idaho to be closer to their families. Donna became very involved in competing in Flower shows, and Walt was her biggest supporter always there to help with making components for her designs and helping with arrangement transportation back and forth to shows. Walt’s passion was race car driving. These race cars manufactured from pieces of metal bar stock and tubing, all by his hand. He started racing in 1960 and raced throughout his entire life and raced his final race August 2020, where he belonged to the following racing associations NASCAR, ISRL, WIRA, and NHRA. Walt took a great interest in the Meridian Senior Center serving as President, Vice President and Board member. Walt and Donna spent 64 years of their lives together they were a team in every sense of the word. He supported her interests fully and she supported his. Their story is truly a match made in heaven and those who have the pleasure of knowing and seeing them together have witnessed that firsthand. Walt is heading to the great oval track in the sky. Walt is survived by his wife Donna (Meridian, ID), son Bradley Calkins-Boise and daughter Leslie (Mike)Emery-Kuna. Grandchildren Randy Standlee, Tenisha Calkins, Shanae Calkins, Tiffani (Mark) Holding, MirAnnda Sedivy and Michael Sorenson. Siblings Ella Mink, Lawrence (Sandra) Calkins, and Etta (Loren) La Chance. Brother-in-law Duane Carrell, Sisters-in-law: LaRita Sue (Robert) Rost, Norma (Al) Johnson. 6 Great grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, including extended family members Terri Bishop, and Hayley Johnson. Walt was preceded in death by his parents Angeline and Abram (Abe) Calkins; Mother in law Lorene Carrell; Brothers-in-law: Jim Carrell, Don (Buddy) Carrell; and Sister-in-law: Mary Carrell. CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STREAM