John R. "Luke" Wall

John R. 'Luke' Wall
RURAL LETTER CARRIER
John R. "Luke" Wall, 82, of Longview, Wash., formerly of Svensen, died Saturday, May 29, 2010, in Longview.

He was born April 17, 1928, in Winslow, Maine, to Bradford L. and Yvonne (Chenervert) Wall.

Raised in Winslow, he graduated from Winslow High School in 1946.

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in November 1946 and served in Korea. He was discharged in November 1952.

On May 25, 1955, he married Charlotte A. Dunsmoor in Reno, Nev. She preceded him in death July 12, 1996.

Mr. Wall came to Clatsop County and worked for the U.S. Navy at Tongue Point as a firefighter until 1959. In 1960, he became a rural letter carrier and worked for the U.S. Postal Service until his retirement in 1984.

He was a 50-year member of the Astoria Elks Lodge No. 180 and was a Knappa School District 5J board member. He was instrumental in starting the Knappa-Svensen-Burnside Volunteer Fire Department and the Knappa-Svensen summer recreation program for children.

Family members said his hobbies included raising Hereford cows on his farm in Svensen, chopping wood and projects around the farm.

He is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Brenda and Willie Brosseau of Longview and Nora and Richard Skipper of Svensen; two sons and daughters-in-law, Randy and Brenda Wall and John and Suzanne Wall, all of Svensen; 10 grandchildren, Tyler Manser of Longview, Scott Manser of Santa Barbara, Calif., Christine Dickenson and her husband, Michael, of Phoenix, Ariz., Curtis Brosseau of Vancouver, Wash., Vanessa Oatfield and her husband, Wesley, of Naselle, Wash., Cynthia Skipper of Georgia and Derek Wall, Meghann Betts, Eli Skipper and his wife, Amanda, and Dionne Nichols, all of Svensen; a brother, Bradford Wall of Astoria; and eight great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Pauline Turbyne.

A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 2 at Knappa Prairie Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be given to Lower Columbia Hospice.