Doug & Nancy Walls Building Trades Fund

Lifelong residents of Kosciusko County, Doug and Nancy loved calling the small town of Pierceton their home. “Believe it or not, I met Doug in the 1st grade where he and I were classmates,” said Nancy with a smile. “Years later, our first date was when I invited him to go and see The Mills Brothers, and the rest is history,” she said. Doug & Nancy were married for over 35 years before he passed away in 2022.

Doug started Walls Building in 1966. He built many homes in Kosciusko County. He was a self-taught man in many ways and never stopped learning to do new things. He loved shop class in high school. He was great with his hands and could fix anything in the simplest of ways. Doug took up woodcarving when wintering in Florida and won numerous awards for his art. He loved working in his garden, restoring vintage Ford automobiles, and listening to a variety of music. He started the Cruisin Hoosier Car Club in 1987. Over the years they helped raise funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Baker Youth Clubs of Kosciusko County.

Doug served eight years on the Pierceton Town Council, was a former member of the Pierceton Kiwanis Club, served as past president of the Pierceton Commercial Club, and was honored as the Pierceton Business Man of Year in 1986 by the Pierceton Chamber of Commerce.

Spending time with family was their favorite thing to do. “Doug was a Scout Master when his four boys were growing up,” said Nancy. He loved spending time with his boys, especially being in the pool with his grandkids and great-grandchildren. Nancy and Doug even opened the first pizza shop in Pierceton in 1990.

Nancy began working at the age of 14 at Rodger’s Drugstore in Pierceton behind the soda foundation. She continued that job through high school. After graduation she enrolled in a secretarial trade school in Indianapolis. “My mother and grandmother were great mentors in my life, both domestically and spiritually. I grew to love serving others and learned alot by watching them. I will forever remember the details of entertaining for which I enjoy to this day.” After secretarial school, Nancy accepted a position as a bookkeeper at the Pierceton State Bank and worked in that position for four years. She was promoted to a teller position and retired in 1999, serving 36 years. After retirement she opened an antique and collectible shop and enjoyed that for 15 years. Nancy was a member of the Pierceton First Baptist Church where she served as treasurer for several years. She is presently attending Harvest Community Church.

Nancy has belonged to several charity clubs over the years. At the present she is a member of the Salvation Army Auxiliary and the Winona Literacy Club. She enjoys cooking, sewing, reading, art, music, and her flower garden. Her favorite is getting family and friends together for food and fellowship.

Nancy created a fund at the Community Foundation to honor Doug’s legacy that support educational opportunities for the youth in Kosciusko County. The Doug & Nancy Walls Building Trades Fund will be used for the building trade students at Whitko and Warsaw High Schools. Through their generosity, and desire to remove educational barriers for the youth in Kosciusko County, these funds will continue supporting the younger generations.