Walter Marte

BERKSHIRE– Walter Marte, age 74, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, April 7, 2022 in Berkshire doing what he loved, working on the farm.

He was born in Hohenems, Austria on February 27, 1948 to the late Innozenz and Anna Paulina (Huber) Marte.

Walter grew up in Austria and attended Volksschule Götzis, and Hauptschule Götzis. After graduation, Walter explored numerous occupations including masonry, building, and farming which brought him to many beautiful places around the world. He loved to travel and enjoyed learning new skills and trades. In 1990, he began farming for the Waibel family in Austria and moved with them in 1998 to Berkshire, VT which became his forever home. He married Wendy Starkey on September 28, 2003 who remained the love of his life. Walter had an unmatched passion for his work, his favorite tasks included caring for the chickens, any job that called for a skid steer, stacking wood in its particular order, and tending to the vegetable and flower gardens. He was not often alone; he usually had a co pilot riding with him on the tractor or four-wheeler or a few helpers gathering eggs. When he wasn’t working, Walter enjoyed reading books about Austria, listening to Elvis, or putting together his well thought out train set with surrounding town. He was a caring friend, brother, uncle, and godfather, who was always willing to help, hammer in hand.

He is survived by his sister, Antonia Merlo; nephews, Alexander, and Roger Merlo; friends who became his family, Johannes Waibel and his wife Gertraud, Christoph Waibel and his wife Alexandra and their children Markus, Eva, and Henry, Ferdinand Waibel, Veronika Waibel and her fiancé Peter Pollander, Andreas Waibel, and Gerhard Waibel; along with many other friends from the Brouillette farm who will miss him dearly. Besides his parents, Walter was predeceased by his wife Wendy Marte on November 28, 2017.

Family and friends are invited to Walter’s Life Celebration event to include a Mass of Christian Burial on Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at 11:00AM at the All Saints Catholic Church, 152 Main Street, Richford, VT 05476. Interment will follow in the All Saints Catholic Cemetery in Richford.

Goss Life Celebration Homes is the area’s exclusive provider of Life Celebration events. Please visit our website to share condolences, photos and favorite memories at www.gossfs.com