Obituaries: Walter Hislop

Walter Hislop was born at home in Jersey City on February 14, 1920 to David and Magdalena (Strenkert) Hislop. He joined brothers David and John. Walter’s younger brother, Raymond, came along 4 years later. In 1929 the family moved into their own house on Fairmount Ave. in North Arlington.

Walter played football at North Arlington High School and had a life-long love of the game. He was a dedicated New York Giants fan. After graduating from North Arlington High in 1937, Walter took a job as a bank messenger at the Howard Savings Institution. Walter was a faithful employee of the bank for 53 years rising through the ranks from messenger to teller and eventually to Senior Vice President. By the time of his retirement, Walt was the Howard Savings Bank’s longest serving employee ever.

Walter Hislop was drafted into the U.S. Army in October 1941. After basic training at Fort Bragg, NC, Walt attended Officer Training School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and was then stationed at Clemson University in South Carolina as a pay master. In February, 1944 Walt left for Europe where he spent time in England and crossed over into France a few weeks after D-Day. While in France, he was transferred to the Military Police Unit of New Jersey’s 78th Division. After the liberation of Paris, he was assigned to oversee MP operations in the famous Pigalle section of Paris, where he was stationed from September 1944 until June 1945. Walter arrived home in December 1945.

He married Marie Preston of Newark on June 22, 1946 at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Newark. Together with their son, Kevin, and daughter, Anne-Marie, they moved to Gerdes Ave. in Verona in 1951. A son Timothy Preston, born prematurely in 1952, lived only three days. Their third son, Gregory Walter, was born in 1953.

After WWII, Walter took advantage of the GI Bill, completing his BA at Seton Hall University and his MBA at Rutgers. As he rose through the ranks of the Howard, Walter spent many years in the Investment Department serving as a securities analyst, portfolio manager, and head of the Investment Department. Later in his career he headed shareholder relations and community affairs.

He was a civic leader throughout his career, serving in board and executive roles including terms as president of the New Jersey Taxpayers’ Association, president of the Essex Council of the Boy Scouts, president of the American Lung Association of New Jersey, chairman of the Private Industry Council of Essex County, chairman of the Savings Bank Association of New Jersey, and treasurer of the YM/YWCA of Newark.

Walter Hislop was an active and dedicated member of Our Lady of the Lake Church for nearly 60 years, where he was a member of the Knights of Columbus and many parish committees.

Walter and Marie, both avid swimmers, were regulars at the Verona Community Pool from the time of its opening. Walter was a life-long fisherman, an avid hiker, bird watcher, and canoeist.

Walt and Marie traveled more in later years, and it was a joy and a comfort to him that he was able to show his beloved Marie around Paris before she died in 1991. After Marie’s death, Walter remained an active retiree enjoying his seven grandchildren, Tim, Meg, Carolyn, Eileen, Julie, Patrick, and Bridget, and traveling. Taking advantage of his retired military status, Walt enjoyed going down to Dover Air Base in Delaware and hopping on a flight. He preferred to make his own plans and often traveled alone. He loved China, where he spent three days as the only westerner on a boat traveling down the Yangtze River. His travels also included Germany, Spain, Portugal, Hungry, Greece, Turkey, the Holy Land, Africa, Singapore, Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.

Visiting will be at Prout Funeral Home today from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. The funeral mass will be on Wednesday at Our Lady of the Lake at 10:30 a.m. Interment will be in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover. In lieu of flowers, donations to Friends of Glen Gray, PO Box 43654, Upper Montclair 07043-4654 or Our Lady of the Lake Endowment Trust, 32 Lakeside Avenue, Verona 07044 would be appreciated.