, passed away on Oct. 13, 2014, in Whitefish.

He was born July 16, 1926, in Allegheny County, Pa., to Walter C. Sarver and Alice Michel Sarver. He was the oldest of four children.

Walter left high school in 10th grade, wanting to serve his country in time of need, and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He later obtained his GED and diploma from Freeport High School in Pennsylvania.  

In 1947 he married Della Maurhoff. They had six daughters.  

He worked various jobs early in his life, obtaining his private and commercial pilot's licenses in the process. He went on to be a civilian flight instructor at Graham Air Force Base in Mariana, Fla., from 1953 to 1956. After that, he worked as a captain for the commercial airline industry, first with Allegheny Airlines and later for U.S. Air, for over 30 years.  

He was an accomplished trap shooter as well, shooting just shy of 230,000 targets at Amateur Trapshooting Association-sponsored events in his lifetime. He attended all but a few of the Grand American Trapshooting Championships held during his 42 years of shooting.

Walt loved to hunt deer, elk and waterfowl and also enjoyed fishing during his travels “out West” to Montana  — a place he truly loved. He was a supporter of multiple sportsman organizations.

 In retirement, he moved to his property in Creston where he farmed and gardened, snow-skied, and enjoyed sitting on his back deck watching the mountains.   

Walter was well respected by everyone who met him, and had many dear friends throughout his life. He was greatly loved by his family and will be missed by all.  

He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter Sarver and Alice Sarver Herold; and brother, Dale Sarver.

He is survived by his wife, Della Sarver; sisters, Lois and William Gallino and June Keasey; daughters Barb Sarver, Bev and Tom Heitzer, Elaine and Mike Heitzer, Sharon and Dave Johnston, Karen and Ryan Pring, and Linda and Travis Addington; and seven grandchildren.  

The funeral will be held Oct. 21 at Fox's Funeral Home in Saxonburg, Pa.