Walter Josef Reif

March 5, 1926 - October 7, 2018

Delmar - Walter Josef Reif entered his eternal home on October 7, 2018. Walt was born in Bendörf, Germany, a small village along the Rhine Valley, to August and Emmy (Hörster) Reif. One of his earliest memories was walking through his village as a small boy and hearing a rumble of trucks – trucks filled with men. It was Hitler’s brown shirts and the Communists fighting in the streets. That day, his own father made the decision to move to America. Not long after that, Walt remembers crossing the Atlantic on a boat, arriving in New York City, and passing under that Statue of Liberty. At a time when few people went to college, Walt graduated from the prestigious Brooklyn Technical High School. Walt served honorably in the U.S. Navy in both World War II and Korea. Again, on the water, Walt served in Europe, Asia, and Africa first as a signalman and then as a technician. Utilizing his technical skills, Walt became one of the first computer programmers in the world. He worked for IBM for nearly thirty years and during the Kennedy years, was assigned the important job of Computer Analyst for the Pentagon. In fact, throughout the Cuban Missile Crisis, Walt kept the computers running in the Air Force Command Room at the Pentagon and witnessed the event unfold with his own eyes. He is survived by his children, Christian (Susan) Reif, Debra Reif, Lisa Reif, and John (Kelly - predeceased) Reif. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Christian Reif, Valerie (Reif) Frary, Shawn Dixon, James Dixon, John Dixon, Ryan Dixon, Josef Reif, Chase Reif, and Cassidy Reif. Later in life, Walt was reunited with his first child, Richard (Susan) Troy and their two grown children, Heather and Melanie. In addition, he is survived by five great-grandchildren. He liked Oktoberfest music and would often sing quirky and silly songs like “The Happy Wanderer” and “She has Dimples on Her Butt, but I Love Her,” and sayings like, “fences make good neighbors,” “this too shall pass,” and his favorite, “Life Is Good.” His name is carved on the memorial at Ellis Island. Walt loved dancing, singing, and traveling. He especially liked Hawaii. He will be missed by his dear friends and his family. Walt will be interned in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii with many who were lost at Pearl Harbor. All services will be private at the convenience of the family.