Gates: February 16, 2014. Survived by his loving wife, Ann M. (Napier) Pistner; children, Linda Pistner, David Pistner (fiancee, Cassandra King), Tim (Margaret) Pistner, Andrew Pistner, Alex Pistner, Kirk Pistner, Max Pistner; brothers, Leo Pistner, Edward (Linda) Pistner; many nieces nephews. Walt was a member of the Coast Guard during WWII Union Carbide Retiree. All services are private at the convenience of the family in Forest Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to American Cancer Society, Memorial Processing Ctr, 6725 Lyons Street, PO Box 7, E Syracuse, NY 13057 in Walt's memory. Walt was born on January 11, 1924 in Johnson, PA to Walter and Alice (Ferringer) Pistner. When Walt was growing up, his parents often drove the family from Buffalo to Pennsylvania to visit his grandparents. He remembered arriving very late at night and thinking that the oil drilling rigs seemed like monsters in the dark. He liked playing on his grandparent's porch. He remembered one time falling off the railing and hitting his head on a rock, fracturing his skull. His parents always said it was a miracle he was Ok, that he wasn't hurt worse. Walt helped dig out the basement of his parent's house on Bailey Avenue, and helped his dad rebuild car engines at their home. His father bought an old Model T truck and told him he could drive it whenever he wanted, but it was his responsibility to buy the gas and repair it. Walt would go out with his friends and look for bottles that they could trade for cash to buy gas. Sometimes he would take the neighbor ladies out into the fields to go berry picking. Walt attended ( graduated from) Amherst High School. He'd catch the bus by his house on Bailey Avenue. He'd tell the bus driver if his brother was coming or not. His brother would catch 10 minutes of extra sleep and then run across the field to catch the bus, too. Times were hard. Walt got a job as a bus boy at the Family Tree Restaurant on Bailey Avenue. Waitresses shared their tips and at closing he'd get a meal. Bus boys got the end cuts of the meat with potatoes, gravy, a vegetable. The owner said they could have any pieces of pie that were broken. Interesting enough, there seemed to be enough broken pieces for all the bus boys that night. The cook was a kind woman a great cook. Sometimes she'd have packages for Walt to take home. Walt's favorite meal has always been pot roast, mashed potatoes gravy. When WWII started Walt went into the Coast Guard. He enlisted as an Apprentice Seamen and did his Basic Seamanship Training outside New York City. He said his instructors were hard, but fair. They were required to take the Rescue Boat, a row boat, out frequently. It was winter and often they would have ice on their coats from the water spray freezing. The instructor would always know who wasn't pulling their share and they got a lot of extra duty. At graduation my dad asked him how did he always know who wasn't pulling their share and why the strict punishment. His instructor said he could tell how the oars bent and moved in the water and that everyone needs to count on his shipmates for the safety of the ship, passengers and crew. After graduation, Walt went to Flint Michigan for Diesel School were he became a Motor Mechanic and promoted to Motor Machinist's Mate, Second Class. Later on, he contacted Acute Rheumatic Fever. He was judged not physically sound, discharged and sent home to recover. Walt met and fell in love with Ann while working at Union Carbide, Linde Division, in Buffalo. He was Catholic and Ann's stepmother was a strict Baptist, so Walt converted his faith to marry Ann. He was baptized and became a Baptist. On November 28th, 1946 he married Anna Marie Napier at the Grace Baptist Church in Buffalo. (and were together 68 years!) They lived with Walt's parents while building their own home on Brighton Rd. It was the 3rd house on the entire street. They had some help from friends, too. Walt would tell about a concrete worker's strike, just when they were putting in their basement. So, they ended up with poured concrete floor walls for the foundation (cheaper), instead of cinderblocks. This turned out to be a great thing later on, when cinderblock basement walls in the area were shifting and cracking - but not theirs! Walt always knew that house by heart- where the studs were for hanging pictures and where all the pipes or wires ran. Initially, they had a coal furnace because it was cheaper. The coal bin would later become his workshop where he worked all his magic. On June 4th, 1950 their daughter Linda arrived. Two years later on November 24th their son David arrived. Followed by another son, Timothy on March 25th 1958. As for pets, Walt loved dogs! Over the years the family had several: a dobberman named Fritz, a boxer named Duchess, another Dobberman named Cleo, a mixed bred named Maggie, and a shepherd mix named Jenny. Early on, the family would vacation at Consecon, Ontario, Canada. They would rent a cabin on the water and swim and fish. Ann's sister, Majorie Skarin and her family would often join them. Usually they had cottages next door to one another. Walt's pride and joy were the two trophy sized fish, a Northern Pike and a Large Mouth Bass, caught one year on the same trip. He froze them both, and they remained in the basement freezer for about 15 years! Ann and Walt purchased the first of several travel trailers. There were many family trips to Letchworth, Yellowstone Park, the World's Fair at Montreal, Quebec, Florida, Maine, Canadian Rockies, Newfoundland, and several trips to Virginia, where they would park in their friend's the Russells' yard. Sometimes, at Easter, they would camp with the Russell's at The John H. Kerr Resevior. After he retired, Walt and Ann kept their trailer at Bradenton, Florida. They enjoyed Florida so much they sold the travel trailer and purchased a mobile home in the same trailer park. The snowbirds spent many happy winters in Florida with friends, returning to Buffalo in the spring. Walt could pretty much do anything mechanical. He built most of his house and fixed his own cars. He would check on his children's cars and often do repairs on them. Usually it was tune-ups, brakes, mufflers, alternators, belts, hoses, radiators, and body repair. He repaired lawnmowers and snowblowers. He learned how to weld from a welder on the job site he was working at. His father in law, Kirk, knew someone at a garage that wanted to sell their welding rig. Walt bought it. In order to get it home, Walt sat in the trunk of Kirk's car, holding onto the welding cart, with the tanks strapped tightly, wheels on the ground, while Kirk drove it to Walt's house. This was done very slowly, and early, on a Sunday morning! Walt liked to improve things, too. He decided he didn't like the design and materials used on the holding tank of the travel trailer he bought. So, he made a replacement out of stainless steel...problem solved. He'd help his children with their home renovations too- putting in bathrooms, water softeners, sinks, cabinet. Walt was one of the original members of the Brighton Community Baptist Church. He made many life long friends there. He enjoyed helping others and expected nothing in return. Whether it was running a gas line for a new dryer a friend purchased, tuning up or fixed a small motor or car, putting in an electrical line, fixing a garage door...he had many talents and used them to help others. One year Walt bought a 16 ft aluminum row boat and put a motor on it. He'd take his kids out fishing on the Niagara River, Silver Lake, Chautauqua Lake, Seneca Lake, Tionesta Resevior among other places. Walt was happy just to be out on the water. He later purchased a canoe which he took on some family vacations. In his later years Walt became a talented bird and wild life carver. It was hard for him to quit carving animals when his hands were too arthritic. It was one of the few remaining joys he had later in his life. He was always happiest going down into the basement or out in the garage working on this, that, or the other thing. He would have been a good Tim the Tool Man Tailor. Walt liked to listen to Mantovani, The Irish Tenors, and Bagpipe Music. Some of his favorite movies were Doctor Zhivago, Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang and The Magnificent Men and their Flying Machines. Walt always had a positive attitude, always thought that things would be alright. He was always interested in how things worked. If it was mechanical, he wanted to know the dynamics and principles. He was detailed oriented. This showed in all his work, from building huge compressors, repairing machinery, home improvements and even his animal carving. He was ready to lend a hand to those who needed it. Didn't talk about his misfortunes or make excuses for his actions. He never forgot a kindness. He didn't use profanity. If he was upset, his favorite word was 'Manischewitz'. Walt faced many serious medical challenges in his life, but over came them. He was always grateful and appreciative of Ann's nieces and their husbands. Like guardian angels, they watched over and helped Walt and Ann thru many medical issues; saw that they received prompt and good care. Soon after what turned out to be their final visit, Walt spoke about them, saying how much he owed them and how much he appreciated all the things they had done for him and Ann over the years.