Walter Herbert Bartz died peacefully on April 21st, 2024 at the age of 91 in Middlebury, Vermont at the Residence of Otter Creek with family and friends holding his hands and saying their loving goodbyes.

He will be missed by everyone and was loved by all those who knew him. He was born in a farmhouse near Hubbard Lake, Michigan to German immigrants Herbert and Lena Bartz. German was Walter's first language, and the study of languages shaped his life and his family's life.

Walter attended Alpena High School and served in the Air Force during the Korean War. With assistance from the GI Bill, he graduated from the University of Michigan where he obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degree in German language studies and became a teacher.

In 1960, while teaching German at the high school in Frankenmuth, Michigan he met Lois Curtis, who in 1961 became his wife of 40 years. They had a happy marriage in which his easy-going approach balanced Lois’ take-charge style that created a beautiful relationship and loving life together. Together they worked to earn his PhD in foreign language education in 1974 from Ohio State University (OSU). While they certainly appreciated OSU, their allegiance to the University of Michigan never wavered, and “Go Blue!” was their mantra!

During the first part of his career, Walter was a German teacher at Frankenmuth High School, Kingswood School Cranbrook, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Concordia Jr. College in Ann Arbor and Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. During his time at Luther College, he got a Fulbright Scholarship to teach English for one year at the Koningin Mathilde Gymnasium in Herford, Germany. So, he took his family of four to live in the nearby town of Bad Oeynhausen where the experience of living in Germany had a big impact on the family and its perspective on life.

In 1974 he joined the Indiana Department of Education as its foreign language consultant and soon became the state’s Director of Foreign Language Studies until he retired in 1999. In his tenure at the IDE he published dozens of articles and presented at various professional workshops and seminars including Are They Learning What We're Teaching? He belonged to the Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association, American Association of Teachers of German and the National Council of State Foreign Language Supervisors. Just after retirement he was honored with the Sagamore of the Wabash for outstanding service for the State of Indiana given to him by Governor Frank O'Bannon.

Before and after his retirement he and Lois traveled throughout the country and overseas quite often.

Walter was musically talented and taught himself how to play the piano and the pipe organ. He was a member of First Trinity Lutheran and Our Redeemer Lutheran church where he sang in both the choir and bell choir. He also was a loyal supporter of local music and arts including the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Indiana Repertory Theater and the IMA.

In 1994, he and Lois took a leap of faith, moving from the northside and built a beautiful house in what was the newly created neighborhood of Chatham Arch in downtown Indianapolis which they LOVED! They both were very involved in growing the neighborhood and had many friends and neighbors who remember their enthusiasm for living downtown.

Lois sadly preceded him in death in 2001. After Lois' death, Walter continued to travel overseas and to New York’s Champlain Valley to visit his daughter and family. He spent summers at the family’s cottage on Lake Leelanau, Michigan to visit his son and family where everyone wanted a “Walter Manhattan.”

He is survived by his children David Walter Bartz (Theresa) and Michelle Bartz Maron (Chris), three grandchildren Torsten and Heidi Bartz and Tommy Adirondack Maron, step-granddaughter Carmen Walker (Matthew) and two step-great-grandchildren Stella and Rio Walker. He is also survived by his sister Marion Lang (Robert) and many nieces, nephews and cousins. To honor his legacy, contributions can be made to Champlain Area Trails https://www.champlainareatrai… or to The Chatham Arch Neighborhood Association https://chathamarch.org

A small celebration of life will be held September 28, 2024 from 3-6 pm If you would like to attend please RSVP to michellebartzmaron@gmail.com for additional details.

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