A FRIEND PASSES, WALTER FONDREN

[Bill Greenwood]

I just read on the U of Texas sports website, that we have lost a friend. Please bear with me, even if it is not warbirds. Walter flew civilian, Lear etc. but that is not where he was well known.
Walter was one of my older brothers best friends and a friend to our family growing up in Houston.

He was at our house a lot, he and Jimmy loved football, golf and hunting doves. They went to Lamar High School where Walter, along with Dick Bergstrom, led Lamar to win the Texas high school 4A football championship, (there was no 5A then). Walter was all state and named the outstanding high school player in Texas, and that encompasses a lot of good football players. I was on the football team and graduated from Lamar my senior year. My Brother Jimmy was on the golf team and went on the tournament play, and was club champion. Sometimes they went to school and sometimes they went hinting or to play golf.

Then Walter went to U T, of course, and was all everything. He led a team that was 1-9 in 56 to a 6-4 record in 57 for Darrel Royal, and was the predecessor of all those glory years to come. Walter lead the team in rushing, scoring and was the punter. He played both ways and had more minutes than anyone back then. He graduated with a degree in geology and went onto succeed in the oil business, though he was offered a pro football contract.

Walter was a consulor one summer at Camp Longhorn, when I was there as a camper. He was on the floating cabin next to me, and his bullet football pass hit me hard enough to knock me off the dock into the water. He was about as close to Doak Walker as we had at that time. I know now how big a star he was, but then he was a good friend.

The library at Lone Star in Galveston is named for his family and there is a Fondren Rd in Houston.

I had not seen him in years, but his memory is still here, and I regret his loss too soon.

[muddyboots]

sorry to hear it Bill. My condolences.