Patricia “Patti” Marion Walter

Patricia “Patti” Marion Walter, 84, passed away on July 24, 2026.

Born on July 5, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York, to James and Marion Dreghorn, and the younger sister to brother Doug, Patti shared a particularly close and cherished bond with her grandmother, Mae (“Grandmae”) Lawson.

After graduating from Green Mountain College, Patti began her career as a fashion buyer at B. Altman & Company in New York City. She later stepped into the role of a military wife as her husband, Col. Stephen “Steve” Walter, deployed to Vietnam. She went on to teach and coach soccer and lacrosse at Arundel High School in Maryland.

In 1995, Patti and Steve built their oceanfront home on Topsail Island—the place that would become her true anchor for over thirty years. Patti was famously social, a natural host, and always happiest surrounded by friends with a margarita or a cold glass of Pinot Grigio in hand. She was a spirited storyteller who loved keeping a room entertained.

Patti was preceded in death by her husband, Ret. Col. Stephen “Steve” Walter; her parents, James and Marion Dreghorn; her brother, Doug Dreghorn (recently departed sister-in-law, Susan Dreghorn); and her cherished grandson, Stephen Chase Walter.

Her memory lives on through her three children—Kim Powell (Greg), Lisa Walter, and Steve Walter (Jennifer); her four grandchildren: Austin, Berkley, Carson, and Brady; and her extended family of cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

In keeping with her wishes, no formal service will be held. Her family will gather privately to scatter her ashes alongside her husband’s in the ocean off Topsail Island. In honor of her love for the coast and its wildlife, memorial donations may be made online to the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center at https://www.seaturtlehospital.org/ or mailed to: