He was born November 13, 1927 in Catharine, Kansas the son of Jacob H. and Theresa (Gross) Staab. He graduated from St. Joseph Military Academy in 1945 and from Salt City Business College in Hutchinson, Kansas. He completed appraisal courses at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa and at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.
On September 26, 1949 he married Alice M. Leikam in Severin, Kansas. To this union were born five children which included sons; Stanley, Douglas, and Kevin and daughters; Teresa and Deanne.
After college, Walter was a bookkeeper for various Hays businesses, he was a tax preparer, and he farmed nights and weekends. He was elected Clerk of the District Court in Ellis County from 1952 until 1957 and was elected Ellis County Clerk in 1966. Walter was appointed Ellis County Appraiser in 1970, a position he would hold until his retirement in 1990. He was an expert in land and oil appraisals, was an expert witness during trials, and was one of the first County Appraisers in Kansas. He was appointed to the State Board of Tax Appeals from 1974 until 1976.
He was a U.S. Army veteran, a member of the American Legion, Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, and the third degree Knights of Columbus Council #1325. He was also a member of IAAO, the International Association of Assessing Officers for over 45 years, a senior member of ASA, the American Society of Appraisers, CKA, a Certified Kansas Appraiser, and was a Real Estate Broker in Kansas. He was a past president of the Kansas County Appraisers Association.
Walter enjoyed playing cards, visiting and talking politics, and fishing, but most of all he loved the land, his farm and cattle, and spending time with his grandchildren.
Survivors include two sons; Doug Staab and wife Lisa of Holcomb, Kansas and Kevin Staab and wife Carol of Hays, two daughters; Terri Stanton and husband Loren of Prairie Village, Kansas and Deanne Wakefield and husband Bill of Wichita, a daughter-in-law Carol Staab of Denver, CO, thirteen grandchildren; Tony Stanton and wife Kristin, Cameron Stanton and wife Katie, Lucas Staab and wife Jessie, Chad Staab, Amanda Zernickow and husband Sean, Jade Patchett and husband Eric, Rylee Staab, Brent Staab and wife Angel, Wade Staab and wife Randi, Clayton Staab, Britta Mondi and husband Anthony, Raegan Quandt and husband Eric, and Kethlyn Staab, eleven great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Alice, his son Stan, and by siblings; Philomene Adler, Felicitas Staab, Anna Staab, Marcella Walter, and Norbert Staab.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am on Thursday, December 29, 2016 at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Catharine. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 4:00 pm until 8:00 on Wednesday and from 8:30 am until 9:30 on Thursday, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street. A Knights of Columbus Council #1325 rosary will be at 6:30 pm followed by a vigil service at 7:00, both on Wednesday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested in Walter’s memory to St. Catherine Catholic Church or to St. Catherine Cemetery, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.