Walter Erwin Madinger (1947 - 2023)

Walter Erwin Madinger, set sail for his heavenly home on Saturday, June 24, 2023 at St. Patrick's Hospital in Missoula, MT after an extended bout with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. He was 75. Walter was born July 30, 1947 and was the youngest of three children born to William and Phyllis Madinger who raised their three children (Phyllis Jr., William Jr. and Walter) in Lakewood, California.

As a child, Walt, or better known then as Wally, was always searching for and charging toward his next adventure with passion and persistence. His free spirit, energetic curiosity and heroic bravery kept him busy and adventurous on every level. He loved the ocean and, from an early age, excelled in swimming, body surfing and other water related athletics. While in high school, Walt rose to Southern-California stardom as a lightning fast 6'2", 235 pound fullback for the Pirates of Paramount High School. He was a team captain for the Pirates which lost only 1 game his senior year - the game he didn't play. During games, chants of "Ma-din-ger, Ma-din-ger, Ma-din-ger" filled the stadium. On one such occasion, his dad, not knowing how big a star his son was, came to a game and was shocked by the roar of the crowd cheering on his son. Walt had a close bond with his dad who later died of leukemia when Walt was 18, just three years after his mom tragically passed away from a brain aneurysm. At the time of his father's sickness, Walt was attending junior college, which he put on hold , as he went home to care for his father.

After his dad passed away, Walt launched into adulthood full steam ahead. One such launching involved Walt jumping off a cliff over a highway into a shallow spot in the Colorado river. He sustained serious injuries and doctors said he'd never walk again. But he beat all the odds, proved the doctors wrong, healed from his injuries and continued on with his life. Legend has it that the cliff is still unofficially named after Walt to this day.

Walt's adventures continued as he married his first wife, Beth, and became the father to their beautiful daughter, Crystal. Crystal was the joy of his life and Walt loved being a father. Walt and Beth were divorced in 1970 and he dove deeper into his love for boats and the ocean. He soon became a scuba diving instructor teaching hundreds of people the joy of scuba while using his 28' Chris Craft boat to host countless dives between the coast of California and Santa Catalina Island. Around that same time, Walt sailed the 35-day journey from California to Hawaii on a 33' trimaran in which he and his crew did not arrive at their expected destination until 12 days later. As friends and family were fearing the worst, Walt fell deeper in love with sailing and the open sea.

Throughout his lifetime, Walt owned many boats but none compared to his big boat, the Crystal Anna. In 1974 Walt bought a 90' termite-ridden, water-swollen hull in the Huntington Beach shipyard which, for the next 10 years, he crafted into the most gorgeous sailboat many had ever seen. The Crystal Anna was a true work of art spanning 90 feet long with 70 feet of total deck space. Under full sail, the boat could travel at 10 knots carrying 45 passengers. Walt's custom touch was on every inch.

It was during the building of the boat that Walt and Bernadette Trujillo met. Sparks flew and Walt and Bernie were married at sunset in November of 1980 in the Huntington Beach pole yard. For the next few years, the Madingers would continue to work on the boat, sail to Hawaii and start a family. Noah was born in 1982 followed by Abraham in 1984. Walt's dream of turning the boat into a profitable charter business was well on its way when they were tragically swindled out of the boat by a dishonest investor which led to the auction and eventual destruction of the Crystal Anna. To say this was a devastating loss is an understatement.

Around that time (1986), Bernie gave birth to their daughter, Sarah, and they moved their family to Pistol River, Oregon - a small town on the Pacific coast in which they were given the opportunity to be caretakers. Walt and Bernie worked as a team to rebuild from their losses. Walt worked as a commercial fisherman while Bernie cared for and nurtured their growing children. Within a couple years, the Madingers were back on their feet and Walt and Bernie moved their family back to the big island of Hawaii.

While in Hawaii, Walt worked as a journeyman carpenter building luxury hotels while the weekends were full of family beach outings and construction on their Hawaiian Home. Walt loved playing with his children in the water and loved introducing them to new adventures. While building their home Walt engineered and began marketing a spinal traction device he invented and used to heal his back problems called the Easy Hanger Body Harness.

After a full three years of Hawaiian living, Walt and Bernie decided to move their family back to the mainland and landed in Seeley Lake, Montana - the town in which Walt's sister and brother-in-law lived.

Upon arriving in Seeley Lake, Walt quickly put his vast and unique skills to work building log homes and providing for his family in a variety of ways. It was at this time that Walt was diagnosed with the Alpha-1 Antitrypsin deficiency. Although this disease greatly affected his ability to breathe he continued to do the work of three men as he and Bernie raised their three children to adulthood. While in Seeley Lake, he built multiple homes, and made many friends but no friendship compared to the relationship he came into with God when he received Jesus as His personal Lord and savior. After being born-again, Walt's heart and life began to dramatically change as it was evident to all who knew him. He grew in Christ, shared his faith with his friends and was a faithful member of the local body of Christ at Faith Chapel. His last 20 years were characterized by, but not limited to: faithful love, abundant kindness, consistent generosity and abounding thankfulness.

He is survived in life by his ex-wife and close friend, Bernie Madinger, sister, Phyllis Campbell, children: Crystal Sheesley, Noah (Dilara) Madinger, Abraham (Rosebud) Madinger, Sarah (Ryan) Irigoin, grandchildren: Ryan (Megan) Sheesley, Israel Madinger, Karina Madinger, Abigail Madinger, Eden Madinger, Marshall Irigoin, Mireya Irigoin, great-grandchildren: Rylie Sheesley, James Sheesley, Wyatt Sheesley and Willow Sheesley, nephews: Randy Hodges, Robert "Bobby" Madinger nieces: Shirley (Dwayne) Anady, Kelly (Michael) Robison and countless church family and friends.

Walt will be missed but he has fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. For Walt, to live was Christ, and to die is gain. We'll miss him but we will see him again one day on God's celestial shores.