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"Well I've never been to heaven, but I've been to Oklahoma."
On April 3, 2019, Walter Dee Hackney passed away at Porter Hospital in Denver, Colorado. Walter and his wife Sue had only recently moved to Castle Rock, Colorado, in the Denver area to be closer to family.
Walter Dee was born August 13, 1937, in Coldwater, Kansas. Soon afterward, his family moved to Freedom, Oklahoma, where his father Charles Hackney, better known as "Check" and mother Leona (Fross) Hackney lived with their family for several years before settling in Alva, Oklahoma. Walter's older brother Earl (deceased) and his beloved older sister "Colleen," who passed away just this last June of 2018, lived a life full of love, hardships, friendships, challenges and successes on the Oklahoma plains. Walter attended a one-room schoolhouse before moving to Alva where he completed high school.
One of Walter Dee's greatest testaments to his strength and character was surviving childhood bulbar polio, which paralyzed him from his chest down. Walter was able to eventually breathe and walk independently and return to school and activities.
After high school Walter attended Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva for two years before transferring to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He has taken great pride in being a member of the 1958 OSU National Championship Livestock Judging team and has continued to be actively involved in their alumni program in the years since.
Immediately after graduating from Oklahoma State with a B.S. degree in Animal Science, Walter accepted a position with the John Morrell Company in Ottumwa, Iowa, as a cattle buyer trainee, a role that would come to define his career and life. This was the beginning of what was to become an illustrious career in agri-business spanning over 58 years making significant contributions to the industry.
In Ottumwa he met his future wife and life partner of 58 and a half years, Sandra Sue Anderson or "Sue," the name she went by. Walt's corporate positions and career soon moved his family across Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Iowa and finally Nebraska where they lived for over 40 years. Walter's involvement in the livestock and grain industry was later enhanced by his work as a writer for DTN's "Talkin Livestock," and Iowa Public Television's program "Market to Market" as a livestock analyst, as well as conducting risk management seminars for agricultural lenders throughout the United States.
Walter is survived by his loving wife Sue, son Jeff (wife Wendy), and daughter Jill Kalior (husband Larry); six grandchildren, Amber Hashemi (Shawn), Brandon Hackney (Danelle), Cole Hackney (Sarah), Summer Ashton, Shaun Kalior and Logan Kalior; as well as three great-grandchildren, Kallie, Kolby and Ava, in addition to the many cousins, nephews, nieces, and lifelong friends.
Walter Dee will be remembered as a "larger than life" personality with a voice that captivated his listeners. His love of his profession, industry, family, friends, story-telling, driving the countryside, nature, animals and boating on the Lake of the Ozarks will stay with us always.
In his memory, the family asks that support be directed to the OSU Foundation to establish a scholarship in his memory for a student in the animal science program. Checks may be made out to "OSU Foundation" and indicate "in the memory of Walter Hackney" on the memo line. Support may be mailed to the OSU Foundation, 400 S. Monroe, Stillwater, OK 74074.
Also, individuals wishing to give online can do so by visiting http://www.OSUgiving.com/memorialfund and indicate in memory of Walter Hackney.
Services for Walter Hackney will be held in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 11, 2019, at 2 p.m. at the King of Kings Lutheran Church, followed by a reception at the Omaha Livestock Exchange Building at 4 p.m. Please kindly let the family know if you will be attending Walt's Celebration of Life at the Livestock Exchange Building.
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