Obituary of Walter R. Wifall, Jr.

Walter R. Wifall, Jr. Obituary

(1935-2024)

Walter Raymond Wifall, Jr., of South Huntington, New York, passed away on January 9, 2024.

Walter was born on September 18, 1935, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to Walter Raymond Wifall, Sr., and Elva Anna (Strunk) Wifall. He attended Concordia College in St. Paul, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Divinity and Master of Sacred Theology at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO. He then earned a Ph. D. in Ancient Near Eastern Studies from The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. In Baltimore, he met Arleen Joyce Mohr; they were married in 1965 and moved back to St. Paul, where Walter taught in at his alma mater Concordia College for five years.

In 1970, when he took a position in the Department of Theology at St. John’s University in Jamaica, NY, Walter and Arleen moved to Long Island with their one-year-old daughter Rachel Elizabeth. Son Joshua Walter was born in Huntington in 1973. Walter and Arleen lived in Greenlawn for 35 years, before moving to their new “dream home” in nearby South Huntington in 2006.

Walter taught at St. John’s for 45 years, his classes considering subjects such as the Old and New Testaments, Christian church history, Protestantism, biblical archaeology, and Ancient Hebrew. A supply pastor for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Walter preached over the years in many Lutheran churches across Long Island and New York City; he also participated in ecumenical services with other Christian denominations of various ethnic origins, and at times in Jewish synagogues. In 1990 he accepted a permanent position at Christ Lutheran Church in Little Neck, Queens, where he was active for 25 years, delivering his popular sermons grounded in ancient history while also relating to current events; leading Bible studies and confirmation classes; performing baptisms, weddings, and funerals; and visiting the infirm in hospital or at home.

A historian and linguist at heart, Walter was also engrossed in contemporary politics and Big Bands jazz, and loved to play tennis. A general sports fan, he served as a Little League Baseball coach for his son’s team and was perpetually disappointed by the Minnesota Vikings. In his later years he never missed a Yankee game, whether he was able to see it on tv or simply listen to the broadcast.

Walter R. Wifall, Jr. is survived by his wife Arleen (Mohr) Wifall, daughter Rachel, son Joshua, and granddaughter Tatiana, as well as Geoffrey Hayes, who was another son to him in his later years.

In lieu of flowers we invite you to make a donation to Lutheran World Relief (lwr.org).