Visitation
Grimes Funeral Chapels
728 Jefferson St.
Kerrville, TX  78028
Wednesday, May 31, 2023
5-7 PM
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Funeral Service
St. Peter's Episcopal Church
320 St. Peter Street
Kerrville, TX  78028
Thursday, June 1, 2023
10:00 AM
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Garden of Memories Cemetery
3250 Fredericksburg Rd.
Kerrville, TX  78028
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I served in the Army.

Walter R. SchellhaseI am a Veteran.

of Kerrville, TX

September 20, 1933 - May 27, 2023


  • Obituary
  • Guestbook
Brigadier General Walter R. Schellhase passed away peacefully on May 27, 2023, predeceased by his parents Alex and Helen Schellhase, sister Edith Fourton, brothers Joe Schellhase, Bill Schellhase, and his wife Barbara Kiefer Schellhase. Survived by his children Vicki Schellhase and Scott Schellhase (Lendon) and two grandchildren, Devan Hamby (Stephen) and Kiefer Schellhase (Keri).

General Schellhase was born in George West, in 1933 and lived most of his life in Kerrville. He was a graduate of Tivy High School in 1952 where shortly after, married his childhood sweetheart Barbara June Kiefer of Kerrville on June 27, 1953.

Walt worked in the shipyards in Port Arthur where he was then drafted into the Army during the Korean War and served two years on active duty with seventeen months in Korea. He served as an infantryman in Korea, patrolling the Demilitarized Zone. Walter then earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin.

Because of his military service and education at Texas, he actualized a commission to 2nd Lieutenant as an Engineering Officer. Walter excelled in military leadership and was quickly promoted to Lieutenant Colonel (LTC), where he pivoted careers into military logistics. As a LTC stationed in Germany, he led a Battalion sized element to evaluate and maintain the Fulda Gap, a crucial geographical choke point in the event of a Soviet incursion into the west. Walter continued supporting U.S. Army engineering efforts throughout Africa, that included Somalia and Egypt.

He then pursued higher military education through Fort Belvoir, Virginia, where he received an Advanced Engineering degree and then furthered his education in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas attending the Command and General Staff College which supported his promotion to Colonel.

His education continued at The National Defense University at Fort Mead, Maryland, which lead to his promotion of Brigadier General. The most notable times as Brigadier General, he directly led efforts for the Gulf War, organizing the provision of military logistics and assets into Kuwait.

General Schellhase's military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Accommodation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, the United Nations Service Ribbon (w/ devices), the Reserve Service Medal (w/ 3 devices), the Army Service Ribbon, the Reserve Commendation Ribbon, the Army Overseas medal, the Korean Service medal and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation.

On February 25, 1989, thirty-five years, three months and seventeen days later of Army active and reserve duty Walt retired, but only after personally helping with the training of hundreds of thousands of other young Army personnel. His motivation for serving his country came from feeling so ill-prepared to do what was expected of him in the Army infantry when he landed in Korea in 1954, that he vowed, ''If I lived through it, I would do something to help others never be as uncertain and scared like I was.''

The civilian side of Walt was inseparable from the military side. After graduating from University of Texas and in between his years of active and reserve duty, Walt worked for the Southern Pine Lumber Association in New Orleans. He and Barbara and their two children moved to Slidell, Louisiana in 1965 when he joined the staff at Bernard Lumber and started his own WRS homebuilding and architectural service on the side.

In 1970, he then opened his own lumbar company and became the President of WRS Enterprises, Inc. a building material supply business located in Slidell, Louisiana. He was also President of Slibco, Inc. a building firm of residential and commercial projects. In addition to the material supply and construction business, General Schellhase participated in land development and owned Architectural Plan Service.

As Walt approached retirement, it was his fond love of historic architecture and restoration that led to the purchase and subsequent historic restoration of the A.C. Schreiner family home on Water Street in the early 1990's. This restoration was a lifelong culmination for he and Barbara that took five years to complete. It was their pride and joy. In 2016, the home was donated to the City of Kerrville for the use of the city library.

Once established back in Kerrville, Walter became president of the Kerr County Historical Commission and was an instrumental part of revitalizing the Union Church Building.

Due to his outstanding military service, he was an influential advocate for the Kerrville Veterans Hospital. He was on the board of the Hill Country Veterans Council until 2013, after nearly serving the organization for two decades. He devoted much of his time and energy to the council's efforts on behalf of nearly 20,000 former service members in the Hill Country. He served the council in a variety of offices including the President of the board. He worked timelessly to preserve the vital medical services provided at the Veterans Affair facility in Kerrville while traveling to many areas around the country to speak with officials on behalf of the veterans and their needs.

Walter also held leadership positions with the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, the Kerr Economic Development Foundation, the Downtown Business Association, the Friends of the Kerr County Historical Commission, and the Boy Scouts. He was also named as Citizen of the Year by the Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Honors from the United States Congress, the State of Texas and local entities were given to Walt in recognition of his fellow veterans and other civic work and services.

Walt was an active and lifelong member at the St. Peter's Episcopal Church where he and Barbara were married, and their children were baptized.

Visitation will be 5-7 PM, Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at Grimes Funeral Chapels.

Services will be held at 10 AM, Thursday, June 1, 2023 at St. Peter's Episcopal Church with The Rev. Bert Baetz and The Rev. Mike Wheeler officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow at Garden of Memories Cemetery.

Donations may be made to the Kerrville VA Hospital or to a veterans organization of your choice.





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5 Condolence(s)
Col Sandy Harter
knoxville, TN
Thursday, December 7, 2023

The most outstanding General officer i ever served under! Always to the point. Never was there any doubt about his direction! The US Army is a better organization because of this General!
Go bless, see at the next engagement!

Sandy

Dallie
Pearlington, MS
Saturday, October 14, 2023

To Mr walt family,

I was so sorry to hear about Me Walt’s death. He was a very inspiring man. I worked for Mr walt and Mrs Barbara at the lumber year in slidell. They were very love able and supportive. Some of best memories are with them both. When Mrs Barbara passed away i reached out to Mr walt and it was hood to hear from him. I can still hear Mrs Barbara say she isn’t holding her mouth right.
I always email him for his birthday. This year I was sick and unable to send him his birthday wishes. I sent him an email and it came back this is when I realized that he must’ve been sick, I would have never thought of him passing away.

Please know that his family is in my thoughts and prayers. May you fine comfort in Jesus.

One of his Louisiana/Mississippi family. They both were truly wonderful people.

Margaret Odgers
Midlothian, TX
Monday, May 29, 2023

Walter was very dear to his fellow Tivy classmates and will be dearly missed.

William Sharp
Kerrville, TX
Monday, May 29, 2023

What a fine gentleman...it was an honor to know him.

Karen
Kerrville, TX
Monday, May 29, 2023

May the peace of our Lord be with you all through this time of earthly loss.