Walter Ames, BHS 1964

Walter Ames, BHS 1964

We are so very saddened to report that we lost another classmate, Walter Ames BHS 1964. Walter was active in everything at Burbank High. He was voted Best All Around Guy in our Senior Class. He was our Student Body President, Class President and Yell Leader. He was involved in Swim Team, Key Club, Boys State and just about anything else you could name.

Walter and his wife had 6 children. He spent his life serving his Church and so many others. After graduating from Brigham Young University (BYU) with a B.S. in Anthropology and Asian Studies, Walter L. Ames earned a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

He has taught at various periods for BYU, and currently served as an adjunct faculty member at both BYU and Utah Valley University.

He has also served as a managing director at Russell Reynolds Associates, a partner at Ray & Berndtson, a vice president at A. T. Kearney Executive Search (which acquired Ray & Berndtson), and a partner at Edward W. Kelley & Partners (which acquired A. T. Kearney Executive Search), and was a partner with Heidrick & Struggles.

He is the author of, among other things, Police and Community in Japan (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1981), and a contributor to, among other things, Japanese Law in Context: Readings in Society, the Economy, and Politics (Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Center, 2001).

Here is what one of his children wrote about him:

"The world lost a bright light today and heaven got a new one. My dad, Walter Ames,

passed away tonight June 22, 2020 at home surrounded by family who loved him. He made so many peoples’ lives better with his own. He taught us the value of hard work, the importance of education, the powerful impact of selfless service to others, and how to respect and love people in all cultures and from every corner of the world. Rest In Peace, dad. I can hear you playing bluegrass in heaven.

Our prayers and sympathies go out to Walt's family...
We are so thankful we were able to see him again at our 50th Class Reunion, six years ago. Bon Voyage, Walt...You will certainly be missed...

From Pam Kirkwood, BHS 1964