Meet Walter
Early Years in Alaska
In 1966, as an eleven-year old, I moved with my parents and then six (soon to be seven) siblings from Montana to the village of Kwethluk, Alaska. My parents were school teachers, and we lived first in Kwethluk and then in the nearby community of Akiachak for five years.
Education and Activities
During those years, I received my education through correspondence courses, had a dog team, learned to hunt and fish, and made many life-long friends and acquaintances.
After Akiachak, my family moved to Anchorage, and I finished high school at East Anchorage High School, class of 1973. Among my activities at East High, I was Vice President of my senior class, attended Boys State, and was the state champion in extemporaneous speaking in my junior year.
Higher Education and Career
After attending the Anchorage Community College (now known as the University of Alaska Anchorage) for a semester, I received my bachelor’s degree from St. John’s College and my law degree from Harvard University.
Following law school, I could not wait to return home to Alaska to start my family and career. I raised two fine sons and pursued a successful career practicing law (serving throughout that career as managing partner, first of a small firm that I co-founded, and later of the Alaska offices of large, national law firms).
Community Leadership
Along the way, and continuing through the present, I have held leadership roles in various community, civic, and local government organizations, including co-founder and first president of the Friends of the Library, president of the Anchorage School Board, president of the Harvard Club of Alaska, Vice President of the Anchorage Hillside Home and Landowners Association (HALO) and president of the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra (currently serving for the second time).
Personal Interests
In my personal time, my wife Carol Stolpe and I enjoy traveling, and we have explored many parts of America and more than thirty-five different countries. We love visiting and receiving visits from the six children and nine grandchildren in our blended families. We own three horses, and a highlight of every year is taking the horses, along with my hunting partner Jake Snedeker, into the Talkeetna and Chugach mountains for moose and caribou hunting. And, of course, in every season, I enjoy hiking, skiing, or snowshoeing the trails of the Chugach State Park, scarcely more than a stone’s throw from our front door.
Commitment to Service
Twenty-three years ago, my wife Carol and I built our home on the Hillside, and every day we appreciate the awesome views, the wildlife in our yard, and our wonderful neighbors. I would be honored to serve you in Juneau, working to build a better future for our district and for all Alaskans. I thank you for your vote and your support.