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John Whitney Walter

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John Whitney Walter
14th Mayor of Flower Hill, New York
In office
1988–1996
Preceded byRaymond W. Tekverk
Succeeded byDerrick A. Rubin
Village Historian of Flower Hill, New York
In office
1996–2018
Personal details
Born(1934-04-17)April 17, 1934
Queens, New York, U.S.
DiedJanuary 5, 2018(2018-01-05) (aged 83)
Manhasset, New York, U.S.
Spouse
Joan Smith
​
(m. 1963)​
RelationsTrump family
Children3
ResidenceFlower Hill, New York
EducationNorwich University (BS)
Columbia University (MBA)
Known forTrump Organization; All County Building Supply and Maintenance; politics; business
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
RankSecond Lieutenant

John Whitney Walter (April 17, 1934 – January 5, 2018) was an American historian, engineer, businessman, author, and politician – as well as a first cousin to United States President Donald Trump. He worked for The Trump Organization and was the executive vice president of Trump Management, served as the historian of the Trump family, and was the 14th Mayor of Flower Hill, New York.

Early life, education, and military service

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John Walter was born in Queens, New York, on April 17, 1934, to William Walter and Elizabeth Trump Walter, the sister of Fred Trump.[1][2][3]

As a child, Walter grew up in Hollis, Queens, until 1958, when the family moved to 511 Manhasset Woods Road in the Manhasset portion of Flower Hill, New York.[2][4] He attended St. Paul's High School in Garden City, New York, along with Admiral Ballard Academy, located in Connecticut. Walter received his BS in Business Administration in 1955 from Norwich University, and earned his MBA from Columbia University in 1960.[4]

Between his undergraduate and graduate studies, Walter served two years in the United States Army. He was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany, as a second lieutenant.[4]

Career

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John built a burglar alarm company, National Security Systems in Port Washington, New York, which both manufactured burglar alarm control panels and installed & serviced burglar alarm and access control systems in the New York metropolitan area.[5]

Later, Walter began working with his family in the Trump Organization, and was the executive vice president of Trump Management, Inc. During this time, Walter helped his family set up All County Building Supply and Maintenance, which he operated from the basement of his home at 511 Manhasset Woods Road; All County was founded in 1992.[6][7] The Trumps used this company for the maintenance of a number of Trump-owned properties – including the Beach Haven apartment complex in Brooklyn. Walter and the four Trump children each owned a 20% stake in All County; Walter also received a portion of the markup for his work creating the invoices.[6] As an engineer, Walter also designed communication & security systems for the Trump casinos, hotels, and apartments in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Las Vegas, Nevada, and New York City.[7][8]

In 1990, Ivana Trump claimed in an interview that whenever Walter greeted Donald Trump in his Trump Organization office, he would click his heels together and say Heil Hitler, possibly as a "family joke".[9]

Walter was also the Trump family's historian, and managed much of the family's finances.[10] Walter stored the family's financial records in his basement.[6][7]

Additionally, Walter served for many years as the president of the Flower Hill Association – a civic association within the Village of Flower Hill.[11]

In 2020, Walter was mentioned in Mary L. Trump's book, "Too Much and Never Enough", as having helped his uncle, Fred Trump, with tax avoidance schemes.[12][13]

Mayor of Flower Hill (1988–1996)

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In 1988, Walter was elected as the Mayor of Flower Hill, New York.[1][14] He served in this capacity until finishing his fourth term in 1996, when Derrick A. Rubin was elected as his successor.[15] During his tenure, Walter was a key voice in the widening of Manhasset Woods Road, along with the rehabilitation of the Flower Hill Park, which at the time was owned by Nassau County.[4][15]

Historian of Flower Hill (1996–2018)

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After serving as Flower Hill's mayor, Walter became the village's historian.[1][16] He served in this capacity until his death, and was succeeded by Rhoda Becker .[17]

Personal life

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Walter married Joan Smith at the Congregational Church of Manhasset in 1963. They had three daughters;

  • Christine "Christy" Walter, married to Robert "Bob" Weppler, three daughters[18]
  • Nancy Walter, married to James "Jim" Kiley, a son and a daughter[19]
  • Cindy Walter, married to Rod Frey, two sons[1][20]

Walter lived Flower Hill, New York, with his family, for the last 60 years of his life.[6][7] He was an avid collector of American coins and amateur astronomer.[21]

Death

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John Walter died on January 5, 2018, after a year-long cancer battle, at age 83.[1][17][21] In April 2018, following his death, the Congregational Church of Manhasset held a memorial celebration in Walter's honor.[22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Torrance, Luke (2018-01-10). "John Walter, Flower Hill mayor and cousin of the president, dies - News". The Island Now. Archived from the original on 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  2. ^ a b "MRS. WILLIAM WALTER". The New York Times. December 4, 1961. Archived from the original on April 1, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  3. ^ "WILLIAM WALTER, 65, LONG A BANKER HERE". The New York Times. October 25, 1959. Archived from the original on April 1, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d "John W. Walter". Port Washington News. 2018-01-10. Archived from the original on 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  5. ^ "Alarm monitor panels" (PDF). Catalog of security equipment - US Government Publishing. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-01. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  6. ^ a b c d "Former Mayor Helped Trumps' Alleged Scheme". The Manhasset Times. October 12, 2018. Archived from the original on 2021-04-01. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  7. ^ a b c d Blair, Gwenda (7 October 2018). "Did the Trump Family Historian Drop a Dime to the New York Times?". POLITICO Magazine. Archived from the original on 2021-04-01. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  8. ^ Richter, Allan (1999-07-25). "When Cellular Towers Blend Into Landscape (Published 1999)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2021-04-01. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  9. ^ "Did Donald Trump Say 'Mein Kampf' Had a 'Profound Effect' on Him?".
  10. ^ Frost, Natasha (7 March 2019). "The Trump Family's Immigrant Story". HISTORY. Archived from the original on 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  11. ^ "13 wireless cell antennas atop hospital OKd". Newsday. 25 June 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-08-11. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  12. ^ Weldon, Rose (July 31, 2020). "Ex-F. Hill Mayor Gets Mention in Trump Book". The Port Washington Times. Archived from the original on 2021-04-01. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  13. ^ Feuer, Alan; Rothfeld, Michael; Haberman, Maggie (2020-07-07). "The Inside Story of Why Mary Trump Wrote a Tell-All Memoir". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2020-07-08. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  14. ^ "Village of Flower Hill » THE VILLAGE OF FLOWER HILL MOURNS THE LOSS OF FORMER MAYOR JOHN WALTER". villageflowerhill.org. Archived from the original on 2020-10-28. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  15. ^ a b "Village of Flower Hill » Village History". villageflowerhill.org. Archived from the original on 2020-10-20. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  16. ^ Dooley, Emily C. (August 1, 2011). "Protection eyed for war-era cemetery". Newsday. Archived from the original on 2020-10-21. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  17. ^ a b "Village Letter - Spring 2018" (PDF). Village of Flower Hill. Spring 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-01-14. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  18. ^ "Obituary of John Whitney Walter | The Fairchild Chapel". fairchildsons.com. Archived from the original on 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
  19. ^ "Obituary of John Whitney Walter | The Fairchild Chapel". fairchildsons.com. Archived from the original on 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
  20. ^ "Obituary of John Whitney Walter | The Fairchild Chapel". fairchildsons.com. Archived from the original on 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
  21. ^ a b "Newman Numismatic Portal at Washington University in St. Louis | Comprehensive Research & Reference for U.S. Coinage". nnp.wustl.edu. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  22. ^ "Congregational Church of Manhasset hosts Songs of Praise in honor of Walter". The Island Now. 2018-04-19. Archived from the original on 2021-04-01. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
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