Walter Juodis

Walter Juodis, 78, of Wakefield, died Saturday, December 29, 2012. He was the beloved husband of Adele M. “Del” (Flaherty) Juodis. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he was a son of the later Walter and Julia (Stepshus) Juodis. He graduated from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 1954 with a BS degree in Marine and Electrical Engineering and from the Indiana Graduate School of Business Executive Program in 1970. After sailing various ships for two years in the US Merchant Marine, he joined the US Navy as the Engineering Officer aboard the YAGAR Protector stationed in Davisville. Two years later he joined Uniroyal’s Providence plant as a sales engineer in the Engineered Systems Department in 1958. He stayed with Uniroyal for twenty-three years during which time he served as the Business Manager of Engineered Systems Division and the Business Manager of the Naugahyde Coated Fabrics Division in Mishawaka, Indiana, and as President of the Mashland Duraleather Company, a subsidiary in Philadelphia. After a seven year stint as President of a coated fabrics company in North Carolina, he joined American Manufacturing Company, the country’s largest fiber rope producer, as CEO, in Lafayette, Louisiana. He retired in 1996 and returned to his native New England. Besides his wife he is survived by a son, David Juodis of Wakefield; two daughters, Elizabeth Ann Juodis of Flowery Branch, GA and Claire Marie Burnette of Smyrna, GA; two sisters Anne L. Juodis of Warwick and Jeanne Marie Hannon of Cincinnati. A committal service with military honors will be held at 11 AM Saturday, June 22 in the Columbarium Chapel at Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery, Exeter.