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Obituary Detail

April 21, 1943 September 04, 2020
April 21, 1943 -- September 04, 2020

Walter Sammon, Age:77

Walter Francis Sammon, Jr., age 77, passed away on Friday, September 4, in Plano, Texas, surrounded by his loving wife and children.

Walt was born in Yonkers, New York, in 1943 to the late Walter and Ethel Miller Sammon. He graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers in 1962. He served our country in the United States Air Force until 1966, when he was honorably discharged after four years of service. He married Rita Louise DeRosa on June 29, 1969. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2019 together with their nine children and numerous grandchildren.

In 1966, Walt began a 30-year career at IBM, which was filled with many adventures. He worked alongside Jim Henson when IBM commissioned a series of “Muppet Meeting Films,” starring a loveable cast of characters like Cookie Monster and Kermit the Frog. From 1976-1979, Walt traveled the country with the “Treasures of Tutankhamun” exhibition to support its audio technology. In 1979, Walt relocated from Armonk, New York to Irving, Texas, for a new position with IBM’s Interactive Satellite Education Network (ISEN). His team developed entertaining, interactive technical programing broadcast via satellite across the contiguous US. A family of 11 often required Walt to seek out part-time jobs such as appliance sales at Trader Horn in Paramus, New Jersey, and Preview TV in Dallas, Texas. His job at Preview provided his family with free cable which was a great benefit!

Walt was passionate about many things, including college basketball, history, music, and, most of all, film. Engaging with him in one of these topics would mean your day was no longer your own, but you walked away with more than you came with. Some of our fondest family memories revolved around great movies.

Walt is survived by his wife, Rita DeRosa Sammon; children Diane (Kyle) Kucera, Kattt (Kenneth) Atchley, Barbara (Hoyt) Skyrme, Marie (Mark) Fincher, Bryan (Veronica) Sammon, Will Sammon, Michael (Melina) Sammon, Karen (Ben) Morgan, and Sarah Sammon (Grant Waller); grandchildren Brad and Matthew Kucera, Remy, Taylor, and Elle Skyrme, Cassie Sammon-Huff, Ben and Nick Fincher, Cristiano Sammon, Hannah Garrett, and Lucy Morgan; brother Pat (Dorrie) Sammon; sisters Mary Ellen Murray, Charlotte McTigue, and Agnes (Otto) Seiderer. He also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, other family members, and friends.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Fr. Michael Forge on Friday, September 25th at 1:00pm at Mary Immaculate Church 2800 Valwood Pkwy, Farmers Branch. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association via The Walk to End Alzheimer’s (Find a Team: ALZ Remember You).

Condolences

Christine Johns September 22, 2020

Friend Dallas , Texas

Rita and family, I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m privileged to have known Walter and to have called him my friend. Thank you for giving me that opportunity. (Or as he would so often say to me, Danke Schön.) With love & prayers & deepest sympathy, Christine Johns