Walter Pilpel

Walter Pilpel, 88, of Massapequa, NY, passed away peacefully while vacationing in the Caribbean with his beloved wife, Mireille Pilpel on Tuesday, March 2. He was predeceased by his first wife, Yvonne d'Elvert Pilpel, in 1980. He was born in Vienna, Austria on Feb. 2, 1922 and immigrated with his family to the United States in 1939. He served as a sergeant in the United States Army Air Force from 1943 to 1946. He lived in Cambridge, MA for several years with his parents, Benno and Eugenia Pilpel, studying engineering at Wentworth Institute while employed in the area. He then moved to East Hartford and eventually settled his family in West Hartford in 1964. He worked as an engineer for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft for 38 years where he was granted several patents before his retirement in 1983. Walter enjoyed skiing with his family and friends, stamp and coin collecting, traveling and was an avid photographer, serving as President of the Nutmeg Camera Club for several years. Besides his wife Mireille, he leaves his beloved son and daughter-in-law Edward d'Elvert Pilpel and Rudite Dede Klavins Pilpel of Avon and grandchildren, Alexander, Benjamin and Helena Laney Pilpel, his beloved daughter and son-in-law Catherine and Mark Manock of Naperville, IL and grandchildren Caitlin and Morgan Manock, his beloved stepdaughter and her husband Laurine and Jean Juranville of Paris, France and step-grandchildren Alison and Elisa Juranville and two very special cousins Helga Bandion in Vienna, Austria and Harry Parker in Hermosa Beach, CA. Funeral services will be held at the Unitarian Meeting House, 50 Bloomfield Avenue in Hartford on Saturday, March 13 at 2:00 p.m. with burial immediately following at Fairview Cemetery in West Hartford. The family will receive family and friends at the Unitarian Meeting House 90 minutes prior to the memorial service 12:30 p.m.. Memorial donations may be made in Walter's memory to the Children's Miracle Network, 205 West 700 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 or ChildrensMiracleNetwork.org. Please designate Albany Medical Center in Albany, NY. Walter's own granddaughter, Caitlin Manock, has benefited from this wonderful organization which supports children's hospitals nationwide.

Walter Pilpel

February 2, 1922 - March 2, 2010