18 Oct 1927-16 Feb 2025

Wally was born in Oakland, CA to Louis J. Krill and Agnes Fraser. During his energetic 97 years he had an amazing life.

Wally and his sister, Frances, had a challenging childhood as they moved several times from the Bay Area to Salt Lake City to Nevada City and back to Alameda during the WWII years. His deepest roots were here in Nevada City where his Grandfather Charlie Tyhurst worked as a carpenter in the Murchie Mine and his Grandmother Sylvia Fraser Tyhurst owned the Rainbow Café in downtown Nevada City.

Wally attended Nevada City Elementary; graduating 8th grade there and then attended Nevada City High School. While there he played football. During the summer he worked for the Forest Service in northern California. The crew was instructed to watch for an not touch anything strange…they were looking for incendiary balloons that the Japanese were floating over northern California. He returned to Alameda where he finished high school in June 1945. In October Wally turned eighteen and he enlisted in the US Navy, finished basic training and was assigned to a ship in San Diego just as WWII ended. Upon returning to Alameda he met Mary K. Lemmons on a blind date and knew “she was the one.” They married in 1948 and their 77 years together began.

After they married, Wally began his long and successful insurance career in San Francisco working for Aetna Fire Insurance Company where their son, Michael, was born before transferring to Kirkland, Washington where their second child, Katherine, was born. From Washington they moved to Great Falls, Montana which became a favorite place for Wally…not so for Mary! Their third and last offspring, Roger, was born there. In 1956 Wally was transferred to Sacramento where he had successfully worked his way up to Branch Manager.

In 1969, a terrific opportunity presented itself to Wally and he decided to leave the corporate world and become an insurance broker in his beloved Nevada County. He joined the Curnow-Halls Insurance Agency and with his energy and guidance grew it into the most dominant insurance brokerage in our region, called Gold Cities Insurance.

Throughout his successful career Wally always kept his family as his most important focus. They traveled around the world, quite often with their tandem bike and often with their RV. In November 1989 an historical event was happening: The Berlin Wall was going to be torn down and he immediately bought tickets for he and Mary…and they watched history unfold!

In 2007 Wally and Mary joined a dear family friend in San Diego…the first bicycle ride for Friedreich’s Ataxia Awareness. They drove their RV as support for Kyle Bryant and his family, who rode their bikes from San Diego to Memphis. It took two months. They’ve continued supporting Kyle’s rides!

Wally’s infectious laugh and unlimited energy characterized his relationships in business and personal life. He never met anyone he didn’t life and all that knew him felt the same way. He was active in the Nevada City Rotary, Eastern Star, Native Sons of the Golden West, the Nevada City “City Council,” and many more!

Multi-generational fun was always a Krill family trait. Whether it was the infamous Thanksgiving Dressing parties…Father’s Day Bicycle Fizzes or just hanging around the pool, everyone was welcome.

Even as his body showed the wear and tear of almost 100 years, he never lost his mental acuity in his last days as he entertained his kids, grandkids…and his great grandkids with his stories and boundless humor!

Wally had a great life and truly appreciated it. He leaves his wife Mary, his sister Frances Burke, son Mike (Suzie), daughter Katherine McColl (Mike…deceased), son Roger (Jan); grandchildren: Jenn Krill (Kara), Kim Milbauer (Justin), Matthew Krill (Julie), Craig McColl, Brian McColl, Laurie Krill, Wendy Holding (Chuck., and Jonathan Krill; and ten great grandchildren..

A Celebration of Life will be held on March 20, 2025, at 2 p.m. at Hooper and Weaver Mortuary.

Wally and Mary were very involved with FARA (Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance) and in lieu of flowers donating to: https://curefa.org/donate