William Poynter

William “Wally” Wallace Poynter, 83, of Fargo, ND, passed away peacefully Friday, October 31, 2008. Wally was born May 19, 1925, in Newark, New Jersey. As a young man, Wally served in WWII as a Seabee, most notably in the battle of Tarawa in the Pacific Theater. Wally was a graduate of Drew University, where he earned his Masters Degree in Theology before becoming a Navy Chaplain. In total, Wally spent nearly 20 years serving our country before leaving the Navy to spend more time with his young family. Wally often talked about how lucky he was to be married to a beautiful and extremely intelligent lady, his wife, Betsy. Together, they had four children. After raising their children, Wally and Betsy retired to Ft. Piece, Florida, to be close to Betsy’s sister. They lived in Florida for nearly 11 years before Betsy passed away. Wally, eventually, moved to Fargo to be near some of his grandchildren. Wally dedicated over 40 years of his life serving as a pastor for the United Methodist Church in New Jersey. He was known as a great leader, growing each church he served, including having large education buildings built for two of them. As a pastor, one of his greatest gifts was his ability to play the piano. Wally shared this gift every Sunday morning with the congregation during his “sing alongs.” Wally would also take time each week to visit the elderly in local nursing homes where he would play with great energy and vigor. His visits were highly enjoyed by everyone. Wally shared this gift until the day he passed by playing for his friends at the Waterford each week, where he lived in one of the cottages. His piano playing and fun personality will truly be missed. Wally will be remembered for his wonderful sense of humor, very quick wit, thoughtfulness and caring. He was a great man that brought joy into the life of anyone he met. Wally’s wishes are for the family to have a small service on Green Turtle Beach in Ft. Pierce, Florida, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean where Wally spent many days in the U.S. Navy. This was Wally’s favorite beach, where he would often go and play “fetch” with his dog, Pokers, and think of his wife Betsy and his children. Wally is survived by his four children, Katherine, who resides in New Jersey; Bill, who resides in Texas; Margaret, who resides in Colorado; and Charley, who resides in Fargo. A memorial service at a later date