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In memory of

Walter Ingram Wirth

San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines

May 5, 1952 - September 26, 2020

May 5, 1952 - Sep 26, 2020

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Walter I. Wirth, age 68, died at his home in San Juan, Metro-Manila from an apparent heart attack. His body was discovered on September 26, 2020. Walter was born in New York City on May 5, 1952 and moved to the Philippines when his parents relocated the family there 56 years ago in September of 1964. His early childhood was spent in Teaneck, NJ but the Philippines was home. While his soul and spirit have left the physical earth, he leaves behind a legion of friends and a legacy larger than he would acknowledge were he still with us. With his passing, he rejoins his parents Wally and Ruth Wirth and his younger brother Bobby Wirth whom he dedicated 13 years of his life caring for following Bobby’s unfortunate stroke.

Walter is survived by his brother John, his wife Eleanor and their children Nick and Julia; his brother Tom and his wife Linda. All of his surviving family members live in the United States.

Walter made his mark over the years in the Philippines music scene. He was an exceptional guitar player and song writer. It was through his music that he touched thousands of people he never met. He was well respected for his talents by his peers in the music industry. He was also a self-taught electronics engineer who made many of his own amplifiers, audio effects and modified commercially available products to suit his needs. He was a humble, kind and generous soul. He often repaired equipment for others and openly shared his knowledge of music, electronics or his insights into the issues of the day. In many ways he was a library of information for others to draw on.

Walter took great pride in the accomplishments of the bands he played in, most notably Petrified Anthem which enjoyed a lot of air play on DZRJ’s Pinoy Rock and Rhythm radio show in the 1970s. He was considered by many to be the leader of Petrified Anthem. While proud of the music he helped create, he preferred not to be singled out. He believed very strongly that there was something special about the chemistry of that band that resulted in some of the more memorable performances.

During the 1980s, Walter left the Philippines to join his brother Bobby in Sri Lanka to run a business focused on apparel exports. They were later joined by his youngest brother Tom who eventually moved on to the United States. Since their parents still lived in the Philippines, Walter and Bobby would rotate in and out of the country over the next 12 years. Eventually they moved back to the Philippines and made it their home once again.

Walter was a voracious reader. He read books and magazines covering a multitude of topics. One of his favorites were detective novels and mysteries such as Sherlock Holmes. He took great interest in cooking. Many of his friends will recall Thanksgiving meals where 15 or more friends and family were at the Wirth residence.

Over the past few years he took particular interest in the weather. He would track typhoons and tropical depressions and send emails to friends offering advice on whether a particular storm was a concern or not. It turns out that in many instances his forecasts were better than the local weather services!

Walter made too many friends over the course of his 56 year relationship with the Philippines to accurately list. But, the following were especially close over the years. Rodolfo Medina and his family, Paul and Bob Pascal and families, Dixie and Dennis Mabanta and families, Joey Puyat, Ted Nicholoff, Norberto Sison, Joey DaRoza and Bobby Alvarez. Walter would want deceased former band mates Alan Tabhan, Sam Sen and Jose Hilario to also be recognized.

Consistent with his wishes, Walter’s remains will be cremated. Funeraria Quiogue in Pasig City is handling all arrangements. A Memorial Service will be scheduled at a later time due to COVID-19.

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In lieu of flowers, consider a gift to American Heart Association.

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