Walter Edward Thill

August 17, 1936 – September 28, 2017

Walter Edward Thill, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, died on Thursday, September 28th. Born in New London, Connecticut, Walter grew up on the East side of Detroit, Michigan. He earned his undergraduate degree from Cornell and his MBA from the University of Michigan. His career was in management consulting, specializing in finance. In 1967, he met his Irish bride, Sheila Noonan, on a flight from Detroit to New York City on Christmas night. They were married one year later and the union lasted for 48 years. Walter treasured his family, especially his role as a father and grandfather, and was blessed with wonderful, lifelong friends, whom he adored.

Walter was a renaissance man with an insatiable curiosity for a diverse range of subjects. A voracious reader, he often devoured books spanning from history to science to the arts at breakneck speed. His beautiful mind matched his curiosity, enabling him to retain details and complex concepts. He had a deep appreciation for the nuances of classical music, often hosting dinner parties where he would play the piano and everyone would sing into the evening. He also loved to recite poetry, play tennis, look at the stars, sail, watch SF Giants and 49er games and travel.

An optimist and dreamer in the best sense of the word, he felt that “bored” should be omitted from one’s vocabulary as there is so much to behold in life. He had a deep reverence for the hardships that our ancestors faced and did not take the modern-day comforts of life for granted. From the light streaming through the leaves on a tree to the complexity of a science problem, he had a poetic appreciation for all of the beauty and wonder that life has to offer.

He is survived by his wife, Sheila, his daughters, Maura Warren (Garin) and Meghan Thill, and his grandchildren, Elise Warren, John Warren (Jack) and Dennis Hunt. He is pre-deceased by his mother, Isabel Hove, and father, Walter Edward Thill.