Obituary: Michael Walton

LEMONT, IL — Michael G. Walton, of Downers Grove, died at the age of 73 on Nov. 14, his family shared in his obituary. Mike is survived by his utterly devoted and loving wife, Peggy (nee Mochel); his children, Clayton (Bridget) Walton and Kara (Nick) Rambke; and his grand-children, Jake, Mikey, Ruby, Adalynn and Quintin. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dale and Martha; and his siblings, Jim, Cookie and Sherry.

Mike Walton was a man of many routines. He was an avid hunter and spent many weekend mornings rising before dawn to pursue the 20-point buck from his tree stand with his bow and arrow. On Saturday mornings, he would hand-wash and wax his cherished classic cars; a ’75 Buick LeSabre Convertible, a ’77 Buick Regal and an ’85 Buick Riviera. He was an exercise fanatic who worked out every evening; 500 toe touches, 500 straight legged sit-ups, followed by two hours on the rowing machine or exercise bike. Rest assured, he always made his signature cocktail, the Brandy Manhattan, prior to starting his workouts.

He loved cutting grass and made sure the lawn was perfectly striped at his home in Plainfield. He loved stacking wood and had a very specific way of doing so. He loved to snowmobile and Ice fish in Hayward, Wisconsin, where he spent much time at the family cabin. He loved watching sports and was a huge fan of Indy and Nascar. He loved country music and the oldies. He loved farming, reading, playing cards, Yahtzee, and Trivial Pursuit. He was ridiculously awesome at Jeopardy!

He worked in the Automotive industry his entire career and was the service manager at several dealerships in Illinois and Wisconsin. He educated youth on working in the trades and won many trips for his excellent service and management.

He loved his wife, and they were married for almost 52 years. And even in the face of tragedy, she gave him the best quality of life as she could as his unwavering caregiver for nineteen years. Even though he wasn’t a Papa in the traditional sense, he fiercely loved his grandchildren and was able to see them grow. He attended many of their birthday parties, sporting events, plays, and choir concerts.

Memorial visitation will be held on Nov. 23rd from noon to 4 p.m. at Markiewicz Funeral Home, P.C., 108 Illinois St., Lemont.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at https://www.stjude.org/donate/...

Information provided by Markiewicz Funeral Home.