Vital Information
| Field | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Walter John Eggers Jr. (known as Walter J. Eggers III in later life) | Jeff Eggers (2026-03-22), obituary |
| Born | 23 Aug 1930 | Obituary, Jeff Eggers |
| Birthplace | St_Louis_Missouri | Obituary |
| Died | 2023 | Obituary |
| Death Place | Overland Park, KS | Obituary |
| Father | Walter John Eggers Sr. (1905-1949) | Jeff Eggers |
| Mother | Jean Hyatt Eggers (born Nettie Smothers, 1911-1930) | Jeff Eggers |
| Stepmother | Miriam Cotton Eggers | Jeff Eggers |
| Spouse | Jacqueline Britt Eggers ("Jackie," m. 1951, 72 years) | Obituary |
| Children | Teresa "Terri" Eggers Fulghum (1953), Jeff Eggers | Obituary |
| Half-brothers | Maury Cotton Eggers, James (Jim) Eggers (from father's second marriage to Miriam Cotton) | Jeff Eggers |
| Twin | Stillborn twin (Aug 1930) | Jeff Eggers |
| Grandchildren | Clay (Kristin) and Jordan (Mary Kate) Fulghum; Erin Aparicio, Cassidy Osbourne, Nate Eggers | Obituary |
| Great-grandchildren | Maya, Leighton, Amelia, Bear, Piper, Jackie | Obituary |
Biography
Walter John Eggers Jr. was born on 23 August 1930 in St. Louis, Missouri, to Walter John Eggers Sr. and Jean Hyatt (born Nettie Smothers). His mother died from postpartum complications shortly after his birth; a twin was stillborn. His father later married Miriam Cotton of University City, Missouri, and had two more sons: Maury Cotton Eggers and James (Jim) Eggers.
Walter's father died of cancer in 1949. His paternal grandparents were John (Johann) Henry Eggers (1870-1972, born Hamburg, Germany) and Amanda Anna Saul (1876-1951).
Walter met his wife Jackie Britt at the University of Missouri. They married in 1951 and, after graduating in 1952, moved to Kansas City and eventually settled in Prairie Village, Kansas, where they raised two children.
Walter and Jackie were married for 72 years. He was survived by his wife Jackie; daughter Terri Fulghum (Gary); son Jeff Eggers (Deb); five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and his brother Jim Eggers.
Naming Convention
Walter was born "Walter John Eggers Jr." (after his father, Walter John Eggers Sr.). His obituary and later records refer to him as "Walter J. Eggers III." The "III" designation reflected family usage; there had been an earlier Walter Henry Eggers Jr. (1927-1936, son of a different, unrelated Walter Henry Eggers Sr. of Jefferson County), but this naming is coincidental and the families are not related.
Document Sources
| Document | Type | Vault Note |
|---|---|---|
| Legacy.com / Kansas City Star obituary (2023) | Newspaper obituary | legacy.com |
| Jeff Eggers oral testimony (2026-03-22) | Family records | Comprehensive Eggers line corrections |
| Helen Rundquist interview (1989) | Oral history | Conducted by Walt Eggers Jr.; corroborates Smothers/Hyatt adoption history |