Walter Sylvester Hirsch was born in Providence, RI on December 31, 1932, the son of George Oscar Hirsch and Irma Pauline (Mende) Hirsch. He was a graduate of Northfield - Mount Hermon School and received his BS in Engineering from the University of Rhode Island. Following his service as an officer with the US Army Engineers in France, he joined General Dynamics, Electric Boat Division, where he was a shipyard test engineer in the FBM Program. Walter, known by many friends as "Wally" was married in 1961 to Janette Chaikowski, a nurse at New London Connecticut's Lawrence & Memorial Hospital. In 1962 he was assigned as liaison engineer with the US Navy's SSP Office in Washington, DC. Wally and Janette moved to Montgomery County Maryland where they raised their two children, Nancy and William.In 1965 he joined the Navy's ASW Project Office where he established the Weapons System Accuracy Trials (WSAT) Program for submarines. In 1969 he joined the NAVSEA Attack Submarine Project Office (PMS 393) for the Design and Construction of the Los Angeles Class Submarine Program (SSN 688 Class) where he served in several supervisory positions including advanced submarine design and the design and installation of the VLS ( Vertical Launch System) which provided a missile launch system for the Tomahawk Cruise Missile a development he also supported. In 1986, as Deputy Project Manager, he closed the SSN 688 Project Office and became the Navy's Chief Engineer for Submarine Design and Construction at the Navy's Supervisor of Shipbuilding Office in Groton, CT.

Wally retired in 1995 and became active in the Town of Old Saybrook, CT. He was Chairman of the Acton Public Library Board of Directors, over a 16 year period during which an expanded and renovated library was built. He also chaired the Building Committee for the restoration and expansion of the Old Saybrook, CT Town Hall to a theater now fully operational and named the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center.

Wally and his wife, Janette, were life-long active Episcopalians. They loved camping and made many trips around the USA and Canada in their Four Winds and MiniWinnie RVs. Wally loved his country and wanted to see as much as he could.

Wally is survived by a daughter, Nancy A. Peterson and her husband John R. Peterson of Escondido, CA and their two daughters, Jennifer Peterson and her husband, John, and great grandchildren, Julia, and Jack of San Diego and Jessica Peterson of San Diego, a brother, Peter T. Hirsch of Charlotte, NC. and companion Susan Nunamaker. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his wife, Janette Chaikowski Hirsch, of San Diego, their son, William W. Hirsch, of Escondido, CA, a brother Ernest G. Hirsch of Foxborough, MA, a sister, Janet I. Hirsch of North Kingstown, RI and his step-mother Elizabeth (Townend) Hirsch of Warwick, R.I. A memorial service will be held at St Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in Poway, CA.  In lieu of flowers please make donations to your local church or a charity of your choice.