Walter Henry Soch passed away on January 21, 2022, after a long battle with cancer.  Chances are if you went to the Place of Grace in La Crosse, WI sometime in the last 26 years for a meal, to help, or stop by and visit, you saw him on the front porch with a towel over his shoulder, a baseball cap on, and a cup of coffee in hand.  He took pride in the fact that before he became too sick, he rode his bike to the Place of Grace on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, to supervise and tell people where to go, literally and figuratively.

Not much is known to us of Wally from his early years, just that he was born to Walter and Violet (Ploeckelman) in Manitowoc, WI on December 24th, 1944. After moving around Wisconsin and Iowa, he settled down in La Crosse, WI.  He loved his girlfriend Linda (Cooper) Baer, until her passing in 2018, and adored and spoiled his cat, Peanut who also passed around that time.  He leaves behind his very dear friends Heath, Cassandra, Elliott, Avery and Cooper Thayer and Sam and Bethany Johnston.  A celebration of his life will be held in the spring along with his burial in Mauston, WI.

Heath, Cassandra, Sam, and Bethany wish to thank the hospital staff and his social worker at the Mayo Clinic in La Crosse for their kindness and care of Walter.  It did not go unnoticed and we are so grateful.  We encourage anyone who is reading this to please volunteer in your communities, take pride in your neighborhoods, and share a cup of coffee with a stranger.  We were blessed by Walter’s friendship and will miss him.