Walter John Yuhanna

Walter John Yuhanna was born in Sialkot, Pakistan on August 12, 1931.  As a young man he attended the Christian Technical Institute where he enjoyed playing basketball, volleyball and badminton.  He later obtained degrees in chemistry and botany at Gordon College in Rawalpindi, and then he continued his education at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana where he was awarded his master’s degree in history.  In 1962 Walter married Susan Massey and they made their home in Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Lahore Pakistan where Walter was a college lecturer.  They soon had three sons: Ivan, Ray, and Moses, and their focus became the education of their sons.  In 1974 the family moved to Sokoto, Nigeria where Walter became a lecturer at the College of Education.  During this time, they visited family members all over the world, traveling to Amsterdam, London, Glasgow, Norway, Washington DC, New York City & Salt Lake City.  

By 1990 all three sons had attended universities in England, Minnesota and North Dakota and were starting their careers and families, and Walter and Susan moved back to Pakistan where Walter became the Superintendent of Bateman School for Boys in Narowal.  They stayed there until 1999 when they moved to Red Oak, Texas so that they could be closer to their sons and focus on a new job – being grandparents.  Walter didn’t stay out of education for very long, though.  He soon obtained a Texas driver’s license and began working for Red Oak ISD as a substitute teacher and as an aide at Acorn Academy.  He worked for ROISD until 2017 when Susan’s health began to decline.  She passed away on January 22, 2018.  Walter lived independently in his home in Red Oak until September 2022.  After that he was cared for at an assisted living center where he still enjoyed phone calls from friends and family. He passed away peacefully on January 15, 2023.

Walter is preceded in death by his parents, four siblings (Iqbal, Farkhanda, Lois, Bimla) and his wife Susan.  Mourning his loss are his three sons & their families: Ivan & his wife Heidi and their children – Amanda, Andrew, Benny; Ray & his wife Julie; Moses & his wife Gwyn and their children – Isaac and Isabelle.  Walter is also survived by his brother Aslam (Pakistan) and sister Zeenat (Utah) and many nieces and nephews.

The family invites all friends and relatives to a Memorial Service on Saturday, February 18th at 3 pm at Desoto Presbyterian Church.   Afterwards we will share a meal.  To help us prepare for the service and meal, please complete this RSVP https://forms.gle/7gsyMHqcCNoHaW916.  Thanks so much for your expressions of sympathy and support.

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