Walter Douglass Gould USAF, Ret.

Major Walter Douglass Gould USAF, Ret., 84, of Fruit Heights, Utah, made his final flight on May 24, 2025, surrounded by family. He was born to Donald L. and Ellamae Gould on May 18, 1941, in Pocatello, ID. Walt was about four when he, his younger sister Betty and their parents moved to Ephrata, WA, where he lived until he graduated from Ephrata High School in 1959.

Always fascinated with airplanes, he learned to fly and earned his private pilot’s license at the age of 17. Walt, a Civil Air Patrol cadet, was selected for an Air Cadet Exchange program and spent a month in France’s Officer Training Corps after graduating high school. At Washington State University, he was a member of the Air Force ROTC program. Upon graduation in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, he was commissioned into the United States Air Force as a Second Lieutenant.

Walt met his future bride, Shelby McMillan, in 1961 at WSU during a Lutheran student association Sunday meeting. They shared three years getting to know each other and were married July 3, 1964, in Walla Walla, WA. Walt was able to get a three-day pass from base and was operating on 20+ sleepless hours when he said, “I will.” They’re sure it “took” because the two had 60 wonderful years together!

Walt’s first active-duty assignment was at James Connelly AFB, TX, for navigator training, followed by two schools for specialized training. In 1965, they moved to Fairchild AFB, WA, as Walt took a position as an Electronic Warfare Officer with the 325th B-52 bomb squadron. During the Vietnam War, the squadron spent three six-month tours flying out of Guam. While at Fairchild, Walt and Shelby welcomed their two sunbeams, Tamara and Donald.

The Air Force offered Walt the opportunity to earn his Master of Science degree in General Engineering from Oklahoma State University. Upon graduating in 1973, he was given a year assignment to Korat, Thailand, as a crew member on an EB-66 reconnaissance airplane, flying high over Vietnam as the war came to a close. Nine months later, Walt returned home.

The next career moves took the family to bases in Massachusetts and Alabama. Walt worked as an engineer on the Advanced Airborne Command Post program out of Hanscom AFB, MA, and a year later went to Maxwell AFB, AL, for Air Command and Staff College. His last assignment was at Hill AFB where he worked mainly on tests to develop and evaluate the ground-launched cruise missile program.

Walt retired from the Air Force in 1984 and went to work for TRW (later purchased by Northrop Grumman) on the Minuteman weapon system. Walt retired from Northrop Grumman after 22 years in 2008. Months later, Walt headed “back to work” at the Hill Aerospace Museum because, as he put it, he “liked hanging around old airplanes and people that like old airplanes.” He enthusiastically spent several years working on the restoration of a T-29, the “flying classroom,” the old plane he cut his teeth on while in navigation school. He relished meeting many interesting people while assisting at the information desk. As a long-time member of the Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Utah Board of Directors, Walt was named an Emeritus Board Member in 2025.

Walt enjoyed varied hobbies. He participated in the Chelmsford, MA, Minuteman reenactment group in 1976. He and Shelby square danced in the 1980’s, read extensively, worked in the yard and later traveled worldwide, including favorite countries, Australia/New Zealand, Turkey and Great Britain. In 2002, they volunteered at the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Walt avidly studied history (the kids can tell you about the many forts and museums they saw throughout the country!) Genealogy, photography, weather tracking and traveling in the Bonanza airplane were also favorite pastimes. He was as active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Ogden, including twelve years as an Elder.

In 2019, Walt was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which didn’t show its actual, devastating effects until late 2024. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister. He is survived by his wife, Shelby, and children, Tamara Hawks (Brad) and Donald Gould (Leah,) and his grandson, Conner Hawks.

Never one to complain or seek the limelight, Walt will be remembered for his quiet, stoic presence, occasional outbursts of laughter (if warranted,) his strong love of the Lord, his family and airplanes.

Funeral services will be held on June 14, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church 3329 Harrison Blvd. Ogden, Utah.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial gift may be given to the Hill Aerospace Museum at www.aerospaceutah.org/give/giving-opportunities/donations/ or the American Parkinson Disease Association at https://www.apdaparkinson.org/

The service will be live streamed and may be viewed by scrolling to the bottom of Walter’s obituary page at www.lindquistmortuary.com

Services entrusted to Lindquist's Layton Mortuary, 1867 N. Fairfield Rd., Layton, Utah.