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Historical records matching Walter D. Brockman
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About Walter D. Brockman
Walter was born in the city of St. Louis, Missouri on April 30, 1903. He was born at home on Gano Avenue in North Saint Louis.
He and his sister Esther and their parents moved to the suburb of Kirkwood in 1919. He attended Kirkwood High School, right up the street from his home, and graduated in 1921.
Later education included multiple certificates from the American Institute of Banking. He received a certificate in banking fundamentals on May 19, 1926. He received a Standard Certificate on May 5, 1937 and another certificate received on May 16, 1944 all from the St. Louis section of the American Bankers Association.
His working career spanned the time from high school to his death at age 89 in 1993, all in the St. Louis area and involved real estate, mortgages and commercial law. He became a lawyer without going to law school, entirely possible in those days, by studying the law books and then taking the law exam and passing on the first try. His wife Jewel helped by preparing flash cards of questions from various study guides and testing Walter over time. She deserves half the credit.
In the 1920's he helped his uncle and father in the farm mortgage lending business of buying and selling existing loans. He was hired in the 1930 era by the Federal Home Loan Bank. He got a Federal Pension for that employment, all of about $2 a month in the 1960's.
He first used his lawyer certification at D'arcy Advertising Agency working on Trademarks and Federal and State law regulating advertising claims. As it happened Ralston Purina was then going national with animal foods, and D'arcy was their advertising agency. When Walter came to the attention of Purina Founder and President William H. Danforth he was offered a job doing the same things for Purina. He had to ask permission from Mr. D'arcy to join a client, which he received easily. His career at Purina lasted for 25 years and he retired with a nice pension.
He collected various Missouri related items on his many hunting and fishing trips. A large collection of Indian arrowheads and hammer stones was donated to the St. Louis Missouri Museum.
After retiring from Ralston Purina he went to work part time as an accountant for a travel trailer dealership in Kirkwood. In his civic duties he was a Boy Scout Troop leader before his son was born. Later he became the Leader of the Boy Scout Explorer Troop in Kirkwood. He also played a role in the creation of the Indian Guides in the United States as it grew from a tribe or two in St. Louis. He met founder Joe Friday several times.
He was the organizer of the Kirkwood High School Band Boosters. This organization raised money for new uniforms and sponsored performances by noted performing artists. He also was a board member of the Kirkwood YMCA as they expanded as the town grew larger. He was a member of the Republican party and organization in the South Side of St. Louis County.
He participated in Hunting dog field trials at Weldon Springs near Kirkwood in addition to his quail hunting hobby. As his son reached teen age Walter started the Kirkwood Rifle Club and obtained free 22 ammunition to use at the Police shooting and training range in the Town garage. That was part of the Civilian Marksmanship program of the US Government.
During World War II he was an Air Raid Warden in the neighborhood around his family homes. Earlier we was a Junior Chamber of Commerce member and in 1920's he and his buddies traveled to various conventions in the Western US.
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Walter D. Brockman's Timeline
| 1903 |
April 30, 1903
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St Louis, MO, United States
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| 1993 |
April 4, 1993
Age 89
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Webster Groves, MO, United States
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| ???? |
Kirkwood, MO, United States
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