Lou Ceile Walter

September 10, 1929 - April 16, 2022

Mildred Lou Ceile “Lou” Walter -- a truly beloved wife, mother, sister, sisterin-law, cousin, grandmother and great-grandmother -- died April 16, Easter Eve, in Concord, CA.

She was 92.

She died peacefully after a long and dignified battle with Alzheimer’s and was surrounded by her family when she passed.

Mrs. Walter was born Sept. 10, 1929, in Elgin, Ore., a tiny outpost in the northeast part of the state. She went a long ways from Elgin in her memorable life.

The daughter of Dallas and Mildred Harwood and the sister of Reed Harwood, all of whom preceded her in death, she was a remarkable woman whose spirit and character far outstripped her uncommon beauty. Mrs. Walter attended schools in Elgin - where she was homecoming queen at Elgin High School - and college in nearby LaGrande.

She later moved to Pacific Grove, CA, where she met a dashing merchant seaman, Robert E. “Ed” Walter. Thus began one of the great reallife love stories of all time. They were married on Aug. 11, 1950. Over the next 54 years, they rarely spent a night apart and never by choice.

Ed was a metals salesman for A.M. Castle/Pacific Metals of San Francisco. His job took Ed and Lou to Fresno CA and later to Menlo Park, Redwood City and San Mateo - all on the San Francisco peninsula - before he built their hilltop home in nearby Belmont in 1959. They never left.

Lou eventually became a real-estate agent and broker and ran her own agency, El Camino Realty in Belmont, until 2012.

Their lives revolved around their children - Bob, Suzanne and Brad - but the center of it all was each other. Even after the children were grown and grandchildren started arriving, they especially enjoyed their annual trip to Maui. Ed would ship plenty of food and drink for a month and they truly savored their time. The only year they skipped was 2000, when they took all the children and grandchildren to surprise - Maui to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Ed passed away in 2004 and Lou shocked the world by staying vigorous and active - and doing plenty of real-estate business - for many years. She continued to travel to Maui, often with one or more of her children and her beloved sisterin-law, Ona Harwood of Milton-Freewater, Ore. Lou moved to Concord in 2016 and spent her final years at Montecito of Oakmont, a gracious facility where she received wonderful care from a loving staff.

She is survived by her son, Bob Walter, a newspaper-editor-turned-Realtor in Elk Grove CA, his wife Cyndi and children Jessica Thomas and Matt Walter. Also daughter Suzanne Chapel, a CPA in Grass Valley CA; her husband Mike Chapel and two sons: Christopher and his wife, Kelly, who have two daughters; and Darren and his wife Elizabeth, who have a daughter.

Also son Brad Walter, a retired lawyer in Concord, his wife Nancy and three daughters: Claire Carlin and husband Chase, who have a son and another child on the way; Holly Gad and husband Steve, who have three sons and a daughter; and Emily Lord and husband Michael, who have two sons.

A family memorial service will be held in the fall. Remembrances are truly optional but can be sent to charities of choice.