Walter Frederick

Raisch

Walter Frederick Raisch, 86, passed away at Cottage Grove Place, Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, November 6, 2026. 

A private family service will be held at Acacia Park Cemetery, Harwood Heights, Illinois Monday, November 16th. A Celebration of Life Party will be held in Illinois the summer of 2027 for extended family and friends.
Thoughts, memories, Wallyisms, funny stories can be left at: www.ragobrothersfuneralhome.com
Survivors of Wally’s passing are his wife Janet Arlene Raisch (Compton), daughters/son-in-laws Suzi and Tad Cooper, Terri and Jeff Dunmore, granddaughters/husbands Annee and Zach Gothard, Hallie and Jack DeWolf, grandsons Bennett Cooper and Quinn Dunmore, and great-grand children Ella and Jett Gothard.
He was preceded in death by his parents Charles Raisch and Emily Raisch (Hess), and sister/brother-in-law Eleanor Lindstrom (Raisch) and Don Lindstrom.
Walter Frederick Raisch was born on January 3, 1940 in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from Steinmetz High School in January 1958 and received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from University of Colorado, Boulder on the morning of August 24, 1963. Later that same day, he was married to his college sweetheart Janet Compton. During his college years, Wally took six months off and joined the Army Reserves in 1962. He was also a member of Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity and a frequent patron of “The Sink” for cocktails during his college years.
His hobbies were playing golf and tennis, traveling, going out for dinner, reading the newspaper, gardening, and socializing. He created his own phrases and terms that we coined “Wallyisms”…he loved ordering “tubers” (mustard only) at Wrigley Field, home for his beloved Cubbies and eating “grizzles” while watching the burly Bears. He loved supporting his Chicago Teams plus downing a “shooter” for his CU Buffs on occasion.
After his college years, Wally joined the workforce as a salesman for Sears Robuck and then Mattel Toys. His final career choice involved teaming up with Bob Leslie. Wally met Bob while he was working for Cole/Weiss as a sales rep. at one of the trade shows for the Christmas industry. He took a leap of faith, quit work at Cole/Weiss with $500 in the bank and joined forces with Bob to start an outside sales team for the Christmas Industry called Leslie/Raisch Associates in the early 70’s. Wally thrived as both a salesman and partner of a successful entrepreneurial business for about 30 years. He then retired in 1998.
His past memberships include Royal Fox Country Club, Bonita Bay Country Club, and currently Cedar Rapids Country Club.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in Wally’s name to The American Heart Association: www.aha.org
A very special thank you to all the employees at Cottage Grove Place during this highly emotional time for our family.