Richard “Dick”Walmer’57 HonorsWife’sMemory with Scholarship
By Claire Burns
DICK AND BETTE WALMER were sweethearts when he was a Springfield College student in the 1950s. They married after his graduation, and spent 53 adven- turous years together—best friends, partners, parents, and supporters. Throughout it all, the Springfield College emphasis on a healthy spirit, mind, and body was an overarching influence on their lives together. When Bette passed away in 2010, Walmer was devastated, and it seemed natural to honor her memory by establishing a scholarship at Springfield College.
As Walmer settled Bette’s estate, he noted that his life insurance policy, of which Bette had been the beneficiary, could support a scholarship fund. With the blessing of his daughter and two sons, he worked with the Springfield College Office of Development to establish the Walmer Family Scholarship Fund, which will be endowed by the policy upon his death. “It’s a family fund,” he said. “I’ve sent letters to relatives about it for their consideration.” Several family members have contributed and others have expressed interest. Walmer family ties to Springfield College are long and deep. His father, Ervin “Chief” Walmer graduated in 1923, brother Fred in 1949 and uncle Harold in 1922. His brother John attended the College in the fifties, and
Richard “Dick” Walmer ’57
cousin Harold Haak attended in the forties. Walmer, a longtime supporter of the College in financial and other ways, now also makes additional gifts to the fund. Walmer takes solace in knowing that, in Bette’s memory, future students will have the life-enriching benefits of a Springfield College experience. “It’s more than the academics. It is also a special way of feeling—spirit, mind, and body—that keeps you in shape for all aspects of life. It keeps you focused and positive in your job, home, family, social life—wherever life takes you.”
The Walmers’ life journey first took them to New York, where he earned a fellowship and completed a master’s degree at New York University. He went on to a successful career at The Hartford Insurance Group (THIG) as an expert in loss management, also called safety engineering. The family lived in Albany, Bridgeport, Hawaii, and Hartford as he rose in his career. He was promoted to manage a new department created to examine company operations and forge improvements, and held that position for 15 years. With his expertise in operations management, he then founded his own company, Walmer Associates, which consulted with companies around the country. “I did that for 10 years, and it was enjoyable,” he says.
Throughout the adventure, the Walmer family personified Humanics. “We were very active—brownies, scouts, youth sports, church programs—Bette was a troop leader in Hawaii,” he says.
Walmer credits Springfield College with instilling a life habit of friendliness that has been vital to his success and happiness. “When we walked around the campus, we kept our heads up, acknowledged each other, talked to people. It became an automatic reaction.”
Enriching Dick and Bette Walmers’ lives over the years were friendships with his Springfield College classmates. “Those relationships became stronger after I graduated,” he says. “As a student, I lived with my family on Norfolk St. and dated Bette. I didn’t experience dormitory life. After graduation, I became active in the Alumni Association, and Bette and I attended every five-year reunion, except during our years in Hawaii. In the 1970s, I was a member of the Alumni Fund Committee. In fact, I suggested a rather novel idea at the time—allowing donors to charge contributions on their credit cards.” Now living in Ft. Myers, Fla., Walmer returns regularly to the campus when visiting relatives. This year marks his 55th-year reunion, which he dubs, “A Class Act.”1
SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE • OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT • (413) 748-3124 • (800) 622-6072 TRIANGLE 3 Vol. 83, No. TRIANGLE Vol . 83 No. 3 29
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