Walter Ferdinand Sonksen

Walter Ferdinand Sonksen

1932 – 2026

Walter “Walt” Ferdinand Sonksen, was born on April 22, 1932, at the family farm in Mapleton, to Richard and Frances (Ruchti) Sonksen. He attended country school through the eighth grade and graduated from Mapleton High School in 1950 and was united in 65 plus years of marriage to Marilyn Schluter on Nov. 27, 1955. They had two children: Randall, born in Denison, and Joan, born in St. Louis.

Walt was drafted into the United States Army in 1952 for basic training at Camp Gordon, GA, and served in Korea in Field Radio Repair, followed by six years inactive reserves. Walt attended Buena Vista College in Storm Lake. He farmed in Mapleton from 1954-1956.

Walt’s employment took his family all over the United States. Over the next several years, Walt worked on Radar and Infra-Red Systems as a Tech Rep to the military (Air Force). He held various jobs as a Field Test Engineer, Flight Test Engineer/Training Instructor, Field Supervisor, and Asst. Field Service Supervisor of 90 technicians worldwide, working mostly with the RF-4C Reconnaissance Aircraft. Walt’s job transfers first took him to Hughes Aircraft in Culver City, CA, in 1956. Following six months of school, Walt was then transferred to McDonnell Aircraft in St. Louis, MO in 1957; to Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach, VA, in 1958; to Edwards Air Force Base in Palmdale, CA, in 1959; to McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, CA, in 1960; to Arlington, TX, in 1962. Walt left Hughes Aircraft and took employment with Texas Instruments working on Infra-Red Systems. He was assigned to White Sands Missile Range at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, New Mexico, in 1964, and to Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, SC in 1965. After a couple years, he was sent back to home base and lived in Farmers Branch, a suburb of Dallas, Texas.

Walt was working in downtown Dallas and observed the motorcade going by just before President Kennedy was shot in 1963.

In 1970, the decision was made to quit moving so the children could finish their school years in one place, and subsequently came back to Ida Grove and went into business with his brother-in-law in Radio and TV. Walt subsequently opened his own shop in Ida Grove.

After 15 years, Walt and Marilyn moved to an acreage outside of Avoca, living there for the next 36 plus years where Walt raised feeder pigs for a few years and had horses as a hobby (both in Ida Grove and Avoca from 1976-2019). Two colts were born on the acreage. He rode horses at various events and represented Veterans. Walt worked for Coffman Appliance in Omaha, NE and Hundt Appliance and Heating in Shelby until he decided to run his own Appliance and Repair Business in Avoca and came to have many friends. He officially retired in 2021. Walt moved to an apartment in Peace Haven Senior Living in Walnut in 2023.

Over the years, Walt attained a vast amount of knowledge in many fields and areas of life. He could answer most anything, modify parts, and was always available to everyone. After moving to Avoca, he ran service calls any time of the day. He loved to golf wherever he lived and square dance with Marilyn in South Carolina with two square dance clubs. They traveled to Spain in 1973 and to Hawaii in 1977, and he took his family to Mexico on vacation.

On Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, he passed having attained the age of 93 years, nine months and 17 days. He was preceded in death by his parents Richard and Frances; wife, Marilyn in 2021; siblings Mildred, Beula, and Mary.

Walt is survived by his son Randy and wife Donna Sonksen of Harlan; daughter Joan and husband Steve Erickson of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; grandsons Chad and wife Jana Erickson and Corey and wife Kayla Erickson; four great-grandchildren: Cole, Mila, Graham, and Leslie; siblings Anna, Marvin, Fern, and Elmer; other family and many friends.

A visitation with family present with be held on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca. Interment with military rites will be held following the visitation at the Ida Grove Cemetery in Ida Grove.

Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca is in charge of arrangements.