Deacon Wally Gieringer and wife Suzy.

On October 29^th parishioners and guests gathered at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Hot Springs Village to celebrate with Deacon Wally Gieringer the 25^th anniversary of his ordination as a deacon of the Little Rock Diocese.  A special celebration mass, presided at by Father Bill Elser, Pastor of Sacred Heart, was followed by a dinner in the church hall.

Born in Farmington, MO, in 1928, Wally attended Catholic grade schools and spent two years at a Catholic Jesuit college, St. Louis University.  He then joined the Air Force and while serving at Wright Patterson AFB met his wife of 61 years, Suzy.  He received his wings following pilot training and saw action in Korea during the war.  Following five years of service Wally began his professional career that included 30 years in economic development work primarily in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.  While in Pine Bluff, Wally and Suzy were very active in the local Catholic church serving in a variety of ministry and lay leadership positions.  In 1982, with encouragement from his wife, family and a Sisters of Charity nun, Wally made the decision to join the diaconate program.  Following three years of study Wally was ordained a Deacon on November 15, 1985.

Wally and Suzy have seven sons, 23 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.  In 1984 Wally retired and in 1998 the Gieringers moved to Hot Springs Village where Wally was assigned to serve at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.  The retirement age for deacons is 75 but when that time arrived for Wally in 2003, he asked the Bishop to allow him to continue to serve on a limited basis.  That request was granted and Wally has continued to actively serve the parishioners of Sacred Heart.

Serving as a deacon, managing a large international economic development company and being a husband and father to a large family seems like a very stressful situation.  Wally has always welcomed the challenges that come his way and the study at his home is filled with numerous awards and mementoes of the times he has cherished in the past with family, business associates and religious colleagues.  When asked what was most rewarding over the 25 years as a deacon Wally says that he really enjoyed baptizing and bringing new life into the church.  He also derives much satisfaction when, following a sermon, someone tells him how meaningful his words were to them.

The parishioners of Sacred Heart gave a big “thank you” to both Wally and Suzy as together they celebrate this milestone.