Richard Allen Walston
May 31, 1944-March 13, 2026
Palo Alto, California
Richard Allen Walston, a man of remarkable ingenuity, dry wit, and steadfast devotion to his family, passed away peacefully at his home in Palo Alto on March 13, 2026, following a courageous and stoic three-and-a-half-year battle with cancer.
Born on May 31, 1944, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Viola (Pangburn) and George Walston, Richard lived a life defined by insatiable curiosity and a "jack of all trades" ability to fix nearly anything. He was a beloved husband, father, brother, grandfather, uncle, and a cherished friend to many.
Richard’s early years were spent on Prairie Avenue in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, where he watched his father build their family home from the ground up. This early exposure to craftsmanship sparked a lifelong passion for building. As a child, he constructed race carts from scrap lumber and bicycle wheels; in the winters, he skated and played hockey on local ponds. An accomplished athlete, Richard excelled in baseball before discovering his true competitive passions in high school: varsity wrestling and pole vaulting.
He earned a National Merit Scholarship to Northwestern University, where he met the love of his life, Deanna Marie Becker. Their partnership began with a motorcycle ride to a football game, leading to their marriage on December 30, 1966. Together, they built a beautiful life, welcoming their daughter, Sherry, and their son, John. Richard was a devoted father who shared his love for model airplanes and home improvement projects with his children. He cherished the time spent teaching them how to repair things, embodying the patience and dedication that defined his role as a parent.
Richard’s professional career blossomed alongside the rise of the computer age. Fascinated by the mainframes he saw behind glass walls at Northwestern, he taught himself to code and worked as a system programmer, eventually analyzing particle accelerator data at the Argonne National Laboratory. He received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1970. In 1972, he transferred to Silicon Valley to work for IBM, settling in Palo Alto because its tree-lined streets reminded him of home. In 1990, he and Deanna achieved a rare milestone, graduating together from the MBA program at San Jose State.
His passion for flight was a lifelong dream. One afternoon as a child, he and his father stopped at a local airport that was offering a 30-minute plane ride for $10, and he was hooked. As an adult, he finally pursued his pilot’s license at age 31. He completed ground school at Foothill College and earned his wings at the Palo Alto airport in just four months. He spent many years flying with a local club, relishing the perspective from the cockpit. In retirement, he became equally passionate about genealogy, spending countless hours researching both his and Deanna’s family histories.
Richard and Deanna traveled extensively, balancing their professional lives with three or four major trips a year. Whether climbing the Tower Bridge in Sydney, exploring the English countryside, or marveling at the Swiss Alps, they treasured the details of every journey.
Richard is survived by his wife, Deanna; daughter, Sherry (Mark) Heller; son, John (Marissa) Walston; and grandsons, Brett, Jared, Jake, Kyle, and Zachary. He is also survived by his sister, Susan Bullara, and nephew, Peter (Sharmin). He was predeceased in death by his brother, Kenneth and parents Viola and George Walston. Richard’s inventive spirit and insightful nature leave an indelible mark on all who knew him.