Walt died Monday, August 27, 2007. He received a B.A. degree from Washington State University, an M.A. degree from Purdue University, and his Ph.D. from Penn State University. Walt was a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Virginia. He had been on the faculty at University of Virginia since 1969. Before coming to University of Virginia, he taught at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, and worked at IIT Research Institute. While an undergraduate at Washington State University, Walt was on the varsity wrestling team, and he jumped at Missoula during the 1955-56 seasons.