Jewel Walton

Jewel Walton was born August 18, 1923 to Charles Walton and Ethel (Rush) Walton. He lived his early years on a farm near Qulin, Missouri and graduated from Qulin High School, where he played varsity basketball. He served in the Navy during WWII. For most of his life, he worked as a mechanic at McDonnell Douglas (Boeing). One of his fond memories was losing his wallet in one of the Apollo space crafts. His hobbies included farming (driving the John Deere or Ferguson tractors), fishing, and training and showing dogs in obedience. He ran dog obedience classes for over 20 years and is responsible for the good behavior of hundreds of dogs in St. Louis and St. Charles counties. For a while, he also showed horses. He taught a young Apaloosa stallion named Eagle Wings to heel, just like large dog. He enjoyed gardening, although some people would classify planting 250 tomatoes by hand as farming. In spite of growing lots of produce, he didn’t cook much and made many friends by walking through his neighborhood giving away tomatoes and squash. He loved to visit his wooded acreage in Wright City where he could watch wildlife such as deer and turkeys, drive his tractors, ride his 4-wheeler and grow vegetables. He hunted on occasion, but mainly to work with ''his dogs to hear beagles chase rabbits or to see brittanys point birds''. Following his retirement, he became an avid reader, especially stories about the early settlement of this country. He was fascinated with the history of the American Indians and their interaction with nature. During his later years, he developed a sweet tooth and was very fond of chocolate covered cherries and oreo cookies. Corn flakes were his favorite meal, whether it be for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Jewel was one of five children. He is survived by his sister, Mildred Fowlkes, and brothers Ray Walton and Eddie (Ann) Walton. From 1945 until 1980, he was married to Emma Katherine Steinmeier and they have one daughter, Donna (Lewis) Angarano. Jewel and Donna were great friends. He walked a lot of miles teaching her to ride a pony. He also served as a personal coach as she played softball (and tried to pitch) and played basketball. His interest and love of animals played an important role in her choice of a career as a veterinarian.