Walter William Wiley

Walter William Wiley, a reporter and columnist for The Sacramento Bee for nearly four decades, died on July 13 at age 86.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, Aug. 3, at 2 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 2620 Capitol Ave.

Walt Wiley was born in Colorado City, Texas in 1938, and grew up primarily in Texas and California. He studied journalism in Texas and, beginning in 1965, worked for the Grand Prairie Daily News Texan, the Casa Grande Dispatch in Arizona, and the San Joaquin Valley News Service in Stockton.

In 1969, he joined The Sacramento Bee as a staff writer, first based in Quincy. He moved to the Sacramento bureau in 1972. He was particularly known for weekly columns that profiled interesting people and places across Northern California.

He retired from The Bee in 2005. He was an active member of Trinity Cathedral, a volunteer at the River City Food Bank, and spent two summers as a volunteer campground host at Lassen Volcanic National Park.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn; sons Fred and John Wiley; and daughter Beth Wiley Banks.

He is survived by daughter Mary Wiley Smith (Tim); brother Mark Wiley (Liz); son-in-law James Banks; six grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

The family suggests memorials to the River City Food Bank