Biography: Walt Jennings, 50, of Dallas, Texas, died June 7, 2006, at his home. Walter Clark Jennings, Jr., was born in Little Rock on March 16, 1956, to Walter Clark and Medora Sifford Jennings. A 1974 graduate of Little Rock's Catholic High School for Boys, Walt went on to attend Westminster College in Fulton, Mo., where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. After college, he began a lifelong career in the travel industry, first as a travel agent in Little Rock for Worldwide Travel before moving to Dallas in 1992 to join Braniff Airlines and, later, America West. For the past 11 years, he worked for Continental Airlines in various positions, including gate agent and, finally, flight attendant. Walt had a smile for everyone and a ready laugh, and always thought of others before himself. He was a devoted son, brother, uncle, friend, and work colleague. His interests included cooking and fine dining, gardening, travel, and sports. Survivors include his parents, of Little Rock; a brother, Earp F. "Jay" Jennings, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and a sister and brother-in-law, Elizabeth Jennings McGee and Sam McGee, and two nieces, Grace Watters McGee and Emma Elizabeth McGee, all of Richardson, Texas. A memorial service will be held at Christ Episcopal Church, on Monday, June 12, at 11:00 a.m., officiated by the Reverend Larry Benfield. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Christ Episcopal Church, 509 S. Scott St., Little Rock, Ark. 72201, or to the charity of the donor's choice. Arrangements by Ruebel Funeral Home, www.rubelfuneralhome.com ________________________________________________ This is Walt's brother, Jay. I thought people might be interested in reading the remarks my sister Cesu and I made at the memorial service. Thanks to all of you for you comments here. It's a great comfort to hear from his friends. Cesu's Tribute Walt was the first child of Medora and Walter born in March of 1956. He loves life from the day he was born. He was born a night owl and loved to spend the night with my grandmother because she would let him stay up and watch Johnnie Carson. He attend Miss Selma’s preschool and kindergarten and if he had his choice would have stayed there thruout his years of education. He loved cooking even when we were young. W would go out in the backyard and make mudpies. They had to be cooked so we made a makeshift stove and would put the mud and water in a pan until it overflowed. Then in unison, we would say "Oh my poor stove", the game would be over and, of course, we would leave Walt to clean it up. We also formed the Jennings High School marching band. None of us were in high school but the name sounded good. We all played the kazoo. We had one song and because there were only 3 of us we would march in formation of our tribute to the triangle. Walt loved cars and always drove the trendy car at the time. He had this red VW bug convertible when he was 16 that almost got taken away because he snuck out one night and got stuck in the mud. When he finally got home at 4 AM he was met by mom and she told him she was going take away the keys and put the car on blocks. But Walt had a way about him that you couldn't get mad. You would think you were going to let him have it and as soon as you saw or spoke to him, you were giving him what he wanted plus some. Walt had expensive taste. When he was 16, mom took us on a trip to NY while my dad was away on a business trip. She was auditioning for the $10,000.00 Pyramid and was sequestered in the studio. She sent the three of us to buy tickets to see Grease. Walt bought the most expensive tickets they had. I was fortunate that in 1992, Walt moved to Dallas. When Sam and I got married in Grand Cayman in 94, he was my maid of honor. From the time my children could talk, they called him Bobby, so Uncle Bobby he was. He was always willing to baby-sit and one time Sam and I went out of town and Bobby stayed with Grace and Emma. When we returned, they couldn't wait to tell me what a great cook Bobby was. He made a dish called Cheese Louise!! I asked him for the recipe and he said go to the store and buy Hamburger Helper with cheese. I'm sure he added his own touch to make it taste better. He loved the airline industry and made great friends all over the country. He was a great son, brother, uncle and friend. He lived life to its fullest. He found joy in almost everything he did, and If I take one thing with me it is to try to live my life with that joy and love of life. Jay's Tribute Being a younger brother, I had plenty of reasons for resentment early on. Walt got the attic room, which became a private enclave with a black light and Peter Max posters. And because I was two years younger, he got to all the good music first, coopting Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Aretha Franklin, and leaving me with Yes, Jethro Tull, and a forgotten group called Bloodrock. My musical taste is still recovering. Luckily, he preferred the Stones, so at least I could have the Beatles. We followed very different paths early on, but only grew closer as we got older. If my brother lived by any motto, I would say it was, "I will not be hurried." It could take him an hour to make a sandwich, which was inevitably delicious, and another hour to eat it. When he would visit me in New York on a layover, where everyone rushes, he refused to adjust his normal gait. The result was that when we walked together, we resembled a dog and owner on a retractible leash. I would surge ahead, assuming he would keep up with me, then, as his pace kept steady, I'd have to double back. This could continue for blocks. He lived by his own clock, his own metronome. I'm glad God is patient, because, even for the Rapture, Walt's not getting up before noon. At first, this deliberate determination to go your own way might seem like a selfish trait, but nothing could be further from the truth about Walt. If you're always rushing to your next appointment, if your eye is always on the next goal, then you have a harder time savoring what's around you in the present moment, more difficulty accepting and gracefully stepping over obstacles in your path, or diverting yourself from that path to help others. And no one accepted or savored the present or enjoyed taking care of others more than Walt. Days after September 11, when I was afraid to step out of my apartment, he was in the air, accepting the circumstances with a shrug, to my amazement. It was his job and he served those who needed him. Occasionally, my various writing assignments or connections allowed me to share some special treat with him and Cesu, like my friend Rhett putting us in the VIP section for a Dallas show of his band, the Old 97's. Or back in February in Austin for a travel story, in what would be the last time I saw Walt, I could treat them to dinner at one of the city's best restaurants, with the chef coming out to chat. Inevitably, Walt would be beaming as he turned to me and said, "This is so cool!" And because he tended to repeat himself, he would say it again, "This is so cool!" The night I heard he was gone, I went to dinner with my friend Debra, who asked me, "Did you know he loved you?" I looked astonished and said, "Of course." And she said, "That's not a given, you know." But with Walt, it was a given. He never hestitated to tell you he loved you, and because he tended to repeat himself, he'd tell you again. It's a comfort to know that he's not likely to change his ways, even for death, that when he arrives at that good place (at his own pace), he'll look around and say, "This is so cool!" and that he'll repeat himself into eternity, "I love you. Take good care. I love you. Take good care."