Walter R. Kaelin Jr.

Walter R. Kaelin Jr. of North Las Vegas, Nev., formerly of Cutchogue, N.Y., and Riverhead, N.Y., died April 9, 2020, after a long illness. He was 74.

Wally was born March 21, 1946, in Greenport, N.Y., to Walter R. and Inez (Myers) Kaelin of Cutchogue. A graduate of Southold High School, he joined the Marines and was a Presidential Honor Guard in Washington, D.C., during the Johnson administration prior to volunteering for duty in Vietnam. While there, he attained the rank of sergeant and squad leader and was involved in 11 combat campaigns.

Wally loved playing softball and was a lifelong racing enthusiast, driving his #16 at Riverhead Raceway in the ’60s and ’70s until his move to Las Vegas in 1979. There he worked at Southwest Gas for more than 30 years until his recent retirement.

Predeceased by his parents and a brother, Arthur Stellmann, he is survived by his siblings, Bill Kaelin and Linda Dawson of Florida, S. Karen Kaelin of Brentwood, N.Y., and Jeanne VanName and Steve Kaelin, both of Cutchogue, as well as numerous nieces and nephews and a granddaughter.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Bunkers Funeral Home in North Las Vegas and Defriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck, N.Y. Interment was at Cutchogue Cemetery.

The family would like to extend a very special thank you to all of Wally’s Las Vegas and Southwest Gas friends for making these last months full of love and joy for him.

This is a paid notice.