Walter P. Moran Jr.

Walter P. Moran, Jr. of Spring House Estates (formerly of Flourtown, Lafayette Hill and West Oak Lane) passed away peacefully on April 27, 2024. Beloved son of the late Walter P. and Lucie C. (nee Louderback) Moran. Loving brother to Robert P. (Mary) Moran, and the late Susan H. (David C.) Holloway. He will also be missed by his nieces Shaun Moran (Kyle Jamaitis), Megan Smith (Jonathan) and Erin Moran and nephews, David Holloway (Leah) and Drew Holloway (Jessica).

 

Walt graduated from St. Athanasius grade school and attended Cardinal Dougherty High School for three years.  Following junior year, Walt’s family moved from West Oak Lane (Philadelphia) to Lafayette Hill and Walt graduated from St. Matthew’s High School in Conshohocken.

 

Walt decided to join the working world after high school.  His dad, a partner in a ship cleaning business on the Delaware River, landed Walt a job installing hot tar roofs on the piers along Delaware Avenue.  The combination of a steamy Philadelphia summer, the long commute to the river and difficult to clean tar soon convinced Walt he was college material.

 

Walt enrolled at and graduated from Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science with a B.A. in Fabric Design.

 

Walt developed lifelong friendships in grade school, high school and college and these friendships were important to him throughout his life.

 

After undergrad, Walt worked in the textile industry at John Wilde & Son, Inc. in Manayunk.  Later, Walt worked in the pharmaceutical industry for Sanofi and its various predecessor companies.  As in school, Walt developed many lifelong friendships in the various industries in which he worked.

 

Years after undergraduate college, Walt earned an M.A. in Sociology.

 

Walt cherished his parents, siblings, their spouses and children and all later generations.  He was grateful for his many friends including those he made during his final eight years while living at Spring House Estates in Lower Gwynedd.  He was especially grateful for the care he received from the staff and residents of WillowBrooke Court, the nursing care unit at Spring House Estates during his final two years.

 

Walt loved to bake and was meticulous about his recipes.  He kept detailed notes of each of his recipes and continually worked to improve them.  Residents and staff of Spring House Estates and WillowBrooke Court called him “Walter the Baker” and all were delighted to receive one or more of Walt’s brownies or almond macaroons.  Each treat was always thoughtfully packaged.

 

Walt was a caring individual, always aware of those less fortunate than he, especially those with physical or mental challenges.  He volunteered for years at Doylestown Hospital, spending Saturday evenings visiting with patients.  He also visited residents in WillowBrooke Court for years before arriving there himself at a time when he required extra care.

 

Walt faithfully served his country for years as a member of the U.S. Army Reserves.  He was proud of his service and appreciative of the lessons his military service taught him.

 

Walt loved family dinners at the homes of his parents, siblings and their families.  He was a wonderful uncle to his nieces and nephews.  He treated each in a special way always sharing his time and cash for treats.

 

Walt loved to travel and enjoyed numerous trips to Europe and around the United States.  He enjoyed sharing photographs of the “old town” of Warsaw as it was being reconstructed in the mid-1970s following WWII devastation.  He frequently visited New York City where he enjoyed operas at The Met and Broadway musicals and plays.  He maintained a large collection of Broadway Playbill programs.  He also enjoyed attending “first readings” for shows in early production and even enrolled in several playwright courses in New York so as to better appreciate the craft.

 

Walt was a man of great faith and, over the years, he was a devout parishioner of St. Athanasius, St. Philip Neri, St. Genevieve, Holy Martyrs and St. Anthony of Padua.  He happily volunteered his services at each of these parishes.  He happily took on assignments such as washing windows and vacuuming carpets in the churches.

 

Relatives and friends are invited to Walter’s Viewing, Monday, May 6, 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. at St. Anthony Of Padua Catholic Church, 259 Forest Avenue, Ambler 19002. Walter’s Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30 a.m. Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. In lieu of flowers contributions in Walter’s name may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Church Street Station, PO Box 780 New York, New York 10008.