John Reynolds "Ren" Walter

John Reynolds (“Ren”) Walter was born on March 2, 1948 to T. John and Nancy E. (née Fink) Walter in Elmira, New York. Both parents and his brother, David M. Walter, preceded him in death.His sister, Beth Walter Honadle, was with him in his final days and when he passed away peacefully at Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia, PA on Friday, May 12, 2017 after an extended illness. John is also survived by his brother-in-law, George H. Honadle; nephew, Forrest Jeffrey Honadle; Uncle, Robert N. Fink; cousins, and many dear friends. John attended Hendy Avenue School and was a 1966 graduate of the Elmira Free Academy.He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Lawrence University where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He earned an MBA (finance) from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In 1977 he moved to Philadelphia to work in finance for Conrail then retiring after 22 years of service. John was a quiet, generous man who surrounded himself with books. He read voraciously and had eclectic taste in fiction and nonfiction. He was known for his self-effacing humor, command of trivia, love of puns, and devotion to family and friends. He also had the Walter family trait of needing to walk very fast and for long distances.John complemented his speech with expressive arm gestures; endearingly he “talked with his hands”. John lived most of his years in Philadelphia, coincidentally the hometown of his mother and her side of the family. He was blessed to have a close-knit, caring, and actively devoted group of friends in his Washington Square West neighborhood where he lived in the home he bought over 30 years ago. He spent a lot of time together with his sister, Beth, in Philadelphia celebrating their week-apart birthdays, visiting and touring, and soldiering through his illness. Beth was always impressed at how shopkeepers, advocates for the homeless, and other passersby in his community knew him personally.When a business person in his neighborhood had poor health, he visited them in the hospital and grieved with their families.That’s just how he was. John’s final resting place is with his parents and brother in Woodlawn Cemetery in a private family burial. There will be a public memorial service at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, June 5, 2017 at the Church of St. Luke & The Epiphany, 330 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. In lieu of flowers donations, in John R. Walter’s name, may be made to the Broad Street Ministry (www.broadstreetministry.org) would be meaningful because John had an especially big heart for homeless and otherwise disadvantaged people and had asked his family to donate to this organization instead of Christmas presents. Donations to the Church of St. Luke & the Epiphany (www.slatechurch.org), whose openness to all people and compassion for those in need, andreflect John’s values.