"What a day that will be, When my Jesus I will see, When I look upon His face, The One who saved me by His grace!"

Walter Harvey Fillmore experienced that day on Sunday, January 18th at Monroe Manor in Barron.

He was born on February 22, 1936 to Melvin and Anna Violet (Lathe) Fillmore in the town of Arland. He graduated from Prairie Farm High School in 1954 and worked on a farm near Birchwood for one and a half years. He joined the Navy and began a long career of serving his country.

After basic training at Great Lakes, Illinois, Walt was transferred to Key West, Florida, where he served on the USS Sarsfield EDD837 for four years. His next assignment was attending Submarine School and Nuclear Power School in Groton, Connecticut. Walt served on four subs from 1960 until 1973. He was the Navy recruiter in Minot, North Dakota for three years. His last tour of duty in the Navy was on the USS Orion AS18, stationed at Charleston, South Carolina, where he served as Electrical Officer. Walt retired from the Navy in 1975.

Walt's military service required a lot of times away from his family. He married Evie Robarge on May 16, 1959, and they were blessed with three children, Michelle, Alwyn and Duane. Walt and Evie's strong love and commitment to family values sustained them through many moves, as well as time spent apart. God was always the center of their life and love.

After retiring from the Navy, Walt and his family moved to Janesville, where Walt worked in the electrical field for ten years. In 1985, Walt and Evie moved to Hillsdale, and Walt started an electrical contractor business, retiring in 1998. Walt was an active member of the First Baptist Church in Barron, serving as trustee, Deacon, and working with the youth programs. He and Evie were committed to teaching the youth to know Christ as their personal Savior.

Walt and Evie always kept busy, but were willing to take a break and share a cup of coffee and piece of pie with friends and family. Their many hobbies included fishing, hiking, cross-country skiing, camping and traveling. Walt liked to hunt big and small game, and hunting season was always a special family event at their house. Walt also had a commercial pilot's license and he and Evie enjoyed many cross-country flights. He also enjoyed giving rides to friends who liked to fly.

Walt enjoyed helping people and could fix almost anything with MOH (materials on hand)! He and Evie also did volunteer work in the SOWER ministry for many years. This is a group of Christian retired couples with RV's doing maintenance work at youth camps, churches, boys' and girls' homes, and Christian Schools throughout the country.

Walt had a dry sense of humor, and was always ready with a one-liner. He also seemed to carry his coffee cup with him everywhere. Walt was a very special person who demonstrated his love for Jesus and his family in all he did and said. Although he will be greatly missed, Walt wanted his family and friends to celebrate his life as he enters his heavenly home. Apparently, God has a few fix-it jobs for him!

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Evie; sons, Alwyn and Duane (Laura); daughter, Michelle (James) Borchardt; grandchildren, Jessica, Tyler, Katie, Sabrina and Marissa; great- grandchildren, Dominiq, Noelle, Felicity, Symphony, Jeremiah, Shekinah and Nehemiah.

He was preceded in death by his parents; grandson, Chris; and brother, Emmet.

A celebration of life service for Walt Fillmore will be held on Sunday, January 25th at 2:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Barron, with a one hour visitation prior to the service.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, January 24th from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Rausch and Steel Funeral Home in Barron. Burial will be at the Maple Grove Baptist Cemetery in the Township of Maple Grove in the spring.

"When He takes me by the hand, And leads me through the promised land, What a day, glorious day that will be!"

Last Update: Jan 21, 2026 10:45 am CST