Frank H. Walton

Frank H. Walton

On March 5, 2020, Frank H. Walton, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and, avid golfer, left this earth to catch his permanent tee time in Paradise.

Frank was the son of lifelong Socorro residents, Quin and Jettie Walton, and brother to Jan Ross. He attended Socorro High School (class of 1952), where he played football and met his high school sweetheart, Ina (Gallegos). The young couple married and were blessed with their first child in 1954 while Frank was earning his B.S in Mechanical Engineering from New Mexico State University at Las Cruces -go Aggies! After graduation in 1957, Frank had an assignment with a missile silo in Roswell, N.M., and welcomed a second child in 1962. He went on to work for Convair in Fort Worth, Texas, before permanently settling on the West Coast, where a third child was born in 1970. Frank loved working and living in sunny California. He was involved in many groundbreaking projects related to power plant efficiency and design. Frank completed his career as CEO and President of Combustion Power Company in Menlo Park, which designed and built power plants that produced electricity. He held several design patents in his name at his retirement in 1999.

Retirement allowed Frank to pursue the interests and hobbies he never had time for during his working career. Freedom to golf, travel with Ina, woodwork, garden, and help his daughters with their household projects. However, the golf course became his second home, where he filled his days golfing with friends and family and especially his son-in-law. He loved everything about the frustrating game of golf and lived for the next par, reached for that birdie, and was ecstatic if he could manage an eagle here and there! In retirement, Frank volunteered as a golf Marshall for many PGA Tours and golf tournaments across the state. This allowed him to walk onto the most coveted golf courses and meet celebrities and golf pros. All of Frank’s hard work over the years had paid off and he was able to live the good life with his wife of 65 years, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

For his children, Frank Walton modeled a strong work ethic and loyalty, gave the gifts of love, security, wisdom, and blessed everyone he met with his excellent manners and silly sense of humor. To his wife Ina, the love of his life for the past 65 years, he gave her his immense heart overflowing with his love and devotion that could never be replaced. We will all miss him dearly, but know that Frank is at peace and delighted to be teeing off full time now working on that perfect score on the most beautiful golf course one can imagine.

Frank is survived by his wife, four children, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

“May each tear and each fond memory be a note of love rising to meet you.”

Due to the COVID Pandemic, memorial services will take place at a later date.

El Defensor Chieftain