Walter Alvin Mallett

Walter Alvin Mallett

January 8, 1938 - November 26, 2020

Walter Alvin Mallett (Walt), of Sierra Vista, Arizona, went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus on November 26, 2020, at home with his wife Patricia (Pat) at his side. He died due to aspiration with complications from Agent Orange.

Walt was born January 8, 1938, in Kempner, Texas, the only child of late Dorothy Pearl and Johnson Jones Mallett. He graduated from Aransas Pass High School and went on to receive master’s degrees from Texas A & I in Kingsville, Texas and the University of California. He married Patricia "Pat" Florian on May 20, 1995 in Sierra Vista, Arizona. He served in the U.S. Army as a communication technician and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He volunteered for two tours in Vietnam where he served with the 5th Special Forces. The Army also sent him to Korea as a Project Manager’s representative successfully coordinating five major commands with separate in-country project responsibilities, and to Germany as part of a NATO unit. Among his awards earned are the Meritorious Service Medal, the Bronze Star, The Air Medal.After retirement from the Army, he worked as a Civil Servant. He was transferred to Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, as a Project Manager. While there Walt joined B Troop 4th Cavalry and served as Commander for 3 years. This was the highlight of his time at this post! He retired from Civil Service in 1998 and enjoyed exploring old ghost towns and out-of-the-way places in his Jeep.

Walt followed the tradition of the men of his family. He was a storyteller. He loved to tell them to friends or strangers, but especially to friends, his nurses, and his caregivers! His life was a collection of stories. No matter the occasion or the fact that his memory was fading, he had a story. If there was a last message, he would have told us to keep telling stories. It is our stories that connect us. He attended Calvary Chapel in Sierra Vista, Arizona. He was a member of VFW, NARFE, MOAA.

Walt is survived by his wife of 25 years, Patricia "Pat" Mallett; daughter, Kimberley Mallett Wentland (Levi); former wife, Trudy Caffall; stepchildren, Robert (Lori), Stephen (Elizabeth), Timothy (Karen), Christine (Skip), Matthew (Jennifer); and 14 Grandchildren. Walt was preceded in death by his parents, Dorothy and Johnson Mallett; grandparents; his beloved Aunt Elsie, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Heartfelt thank you to BrightStar Care, Sierra Vista, Valor Hospice and Hatfield Funeral Home. Special thanks to Caregivers Tammie, Michelle, and others; Nurses Robbie, Megan, Christine, Gina, Mona, Joe, Sam, and others, Chaplain Tina, Pastor Bobby Valdez from Calvary Chapel, Doctors P. Patel and Marc Kaplan for their high standard of care, their compassion and sympathy.

Arrangements are being made by Hatfield Funeral Home, Sierra Vista, Arizona.Due to COVID a Memorial Service will be held at Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista, Arizona, on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at 10:00 AM. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Walt’s favorite charity, Friends of The Sierra Vista Animal Shelter, Sierra Vista, Arizona.