Walter W. Thulin died unexpectantly on July 25, 2024, as he was pushing his beloved wife, Joan Thulin, in her wheelchair to her room.
Walt was an extraordinary individual, a devoted husband, a great father, an adored grandfather, and a good friend to many people.
He was born August 10, 1929, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Henrietta Helen Kaupp and Edwin Thulin, both children of homesteaders from Germany and Sweden, respectively.
Walt excelled academically. At Washburn High School in Minneapolis, Walt was elected class treasurer, best all-around, and most likely to succeed. At Washburn, Walt also met Mary “Joan” Kippley—a vivacious girl with a beautiful smile who was recognized as her class’s biggest flirt. After a four-year courtship, they married in 1952. Their love affair lasted 72 years and was marked by a mutual admiration and devotion that is an inspiration to those of us who witnessed it.
Walt graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1952 with bachelor’s degrees in both chemical engineering and business administration. After college, Walt received a full tuition scholarship to attend the Harvard Business School and graduated in 1954 with an MBA.
Even after graduating with a dual degree, Walt felt that he wasn’t broadly educated and didn’t write well. As one who treasured knowledge, he continued to educate himself throughout his life. One of the ways Walt furthered his liberal education was by starting the first Harvard Great Books discussion group in Jackson, WY. For many summers in his late 70s and early 80s, Walt travelled to Dartmouth College to participate in humanities seminars. He also served on the boards of the Jackson Hole Alliance, the Teton Science School, and the Wyoming Humanities Council.
Walt had many diverse interests. He loved the outdoors and over his life was a duck hunter, a fisherman, a canoer, a hiker, a mountain climber, a tennis player, and a cross-country skier. He relished classical music and attended many symphonies and operas. He also dabbled with playing the guitar. In his late 60s, he bought a potter’s wheel and then created many lovely ceramic pieces of art. When Joan allowed him into the kitchen, he wowed his grandchildren with many breakfasts of his signature crepes and huevos rancheros.
Walt and Joan’s interest in the world and Walt’s corporate life led them to travel widely both domestically and internationally. Their travels took them to China, Japan, India, Russia, Thailand, Kenya, Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, and throughout Europe. In addition, they lived with two of their children in Paris, France, from 1973 to 1976.
Walt’s business career spanned over 60 years. During this career, he worked for five corporations in the food, chemical, flavor and fragrance industries.
Walt was also a serial entrepreneur. After his freshman year of college, he and three college friends built and managed a miniature golf course company.
Early in his career in the food and flavor business, together with three partners, Walt started a second company, North American Pharmaceuticals—which was designed to exploit business opportunities that larger pharmaceutical companies overlooked.
Walt’s final corporate job before retiring in 1988 was as Group Vice President for food, flavor, and fragrances for Mallinckrodt, Inc., in St. Louis, MO. After he retired from Mallinckrodt, he and Joan moved to Jackson Hole, WY, where they lived for 33 years. While in Jackson, Walt started a real estate development company, Evergreen Management, with two sons, Ed and Josh. Walt was actively involved in Evergreen for over 20 years and noted with satisfaction that Evergreen Management was the largest owner and manager of workers’ housing in Jackson.
Walt’s wife, Joan, loved to entertain. Her dinners are remembered by many both for their quality and for Walt’s practice of introducing questions that frequently led to very interesting discussions. While Walt was loved and admired by many long-term friends for his intellect, boundless curiosity, and adventuresomeness, he had a unique blend of humility, gentleness, honesty, kindness, warmth, good humor, and authenticity which endeared him even to those—such as his fellow residents at his assisted living facility—who didn’t know him well. That is a lesson that all students of the human condition—like Walt—would do well to consider.
In January 2021, when Joan was 91, she suffered a severe stroke which led them to move to Salt Lake City, UT, where she could receive the medical care that she needed and be close to their youngest son, Justin, a physician.
Walt was predeceased by his older brother, Edwin, his younger sister, Katherine, and his eldest son, Ed. He is survived by his wife; three children, Elizabeth, Josh, and Justin and his wife (Perla); and eight grandchildren, Madeline, Natalie, Walter, Jase and his wife (Kelsey), Elyse, Lila, Leif, and Lars.
Walt said on more than one occasion that “I feel like the luckiest man alive.” He certainly lived a long, interesting, and full life and enriched the lives of those who knew him.
Dad, I know you accepted death as part of life. Still, we don’t want to let you go. On behalf of all your friends, children, and grandchildren, we love you and miss you.
