Walter Noel Greenham passed away at home Feb. 28, 2015, after a swift decline in health related to lung disease complications. Born June 5, 1941, in Stockton, Calif., Walter grew up in Menlo Park with parents Wilfred and Virginia and brothers Roger and Gordon.
He joined the Navy in 1958, and upon completion of his Navy service, began his life's work in computer design and engineering with IBM. He moved his wife, Sharon, and four small children to England, where he worked as an IBM field engineer, traveling through Europe fixing large mainframe computers.
He and Sharon divorced, and he returned to the United States in 1972 to follow Dr. Gene Amdahl from IBM to the start-up Amdahl Corp. (now Fujitsu) in Santa Clara, Calif. In 1978, he met and married Amdahl co-worker Thyra Stevenson, who had relocated from Spain back to California to join her parents, who had moved years earlier with Potlatch Forests Inc. from Lewiston to its new headquarters in San Francisco.
Walter and Thyra expanded their interests further by acquiring Los Gatos Cyclery. After regular work hours at Amdahl, Walt enjoyed building bikes, working in the shop and going on long rides. He designed and maintained computer systems for other local bike shop owners, and kept up this joyful responsibility until just recently. In addition, he supported Thyra in her career flying large transport jet airplanes.
Walt and Thyra eventually retired back to Thyra's childhood home of Lewiston, where they enjoyed the slower pace of life. Walt learned to fly, serving as Thyra's crew chief on U.S. Coast Guard missions. He enjoyed working on their airplanes and embraced becoming part of airport life.
He loved visiting his grandchildren, fixing up his properties, helping friends with computer requests, and above all, supporting Thyra as campaign manager/treasurer for city and state elections.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father; and oldest son Mark. Survivors include his wife, former Rep. Thyra Stevenson; brothers Roger and Gordon; children Mary, Molly, Gabriel and Astrid; and 14 grandchildren.
The California families will celebrate a memorial in Santa Clara on March 20. Local friends plan a remembrance in Lewiston sometime in late March. Vassar-Rawls handled cremation.
Walter was a dedicated husband, father, brother and friend.
