Walter Dempsey

Walter Bernard Dempsey was born in San Francisco, California, to Cassius Patrick and Margaret Eileen (Colbert) Dempsey in 1934. He grew up in San Francisco and graduated from St. Ignatius High School. Afterwards, Walter earned his Bachelor's degree from the University of San Francisco. He went on to complete both his Master's and Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. After graduation, he moved back to California to pursue postdoctoral research at the University of California-Berkeley. Dr. Dempsey began his academic career as an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Florida in Gainesville. In 1967, he relocated to Dallas, Texas, where he served as a Professor of Biochemistry and Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical School while also working as a research scientist at the Dallas VA Hospital. In 1973, Dr. Dempsey spent a year in Edinburgh, Scotland to study molecular genetics at the University of Edinburgh. After finally retiring in 2003, he continued to stay active in the scientific community as a consultant for many years.

In his personal life, Walter was first married in 1957 and had four children. In 1981, his second marriage was to Dorothy Chabay; this gave him two stepchildren. Outside of his passion for science, Walter was always looking for ways to stimulate his mind. During his life, he enjoyed traveling, studying languages, gardening, photography, reading, raising animals, attending museums, and visiting cultural events. He enjoyed the outdoors; he made furniture; he played many instruments; and he sang bass in the church choir. Walter's life-long faith was always very important to him. In his last few years, he would constantly read, listen to, and watch videos about religion, the saints, etc. His prayer time brought him great peace and comfort.

Walter was predeceased by his wife of 40 years, Dorothy; his parents; brother, Patrick; and his grandson, John Luker.

He is survived by his children, Cathy (Jon Baumgartner), Margaret, Bill, and Edward; grandsons, Thomas Luker and Daniel Dempsey; stepdaughter, Nia (Nick Worontsoff; Xenia, Tatiana), stepson, George, and sister, Peggy Scheerger and family.

The family thanks Natalie and Sergey Marjasovs for their unending friendship and support; Kathleen Hartless; and the T.Boone Pickens Hospice and Palliative Care Center.

Graveside Services will be held on Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at 1:30 PM at St. Tikhon's Monastery Cemetery, 175 St. Tikhon's Road, Waymart, PA 18472. Everyone attending is asked to go directly to the cemetery.

Local arrangements are entrusted to Howell Family Funeral Home, Inc., Edward R. Howell, Funeral Director, 269 Belmont Street, Waymart, PA 18472.