By Nicole Hamilton
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Whenever Walter Emmerling ate out at a restaurant, he'd ask the name of his server. And when he returned, he'd greet them as if they were an old friend.

"He knew everybody by name, he was so personable with everybody. He was just a remarkable human being," said his daughter Gladys Rietz of Baton Rouge, La.

Mr. Emmerling, a former Procter & Gamble executive, died Feb. 1 at Christ Hospital after a short illness. The Hyde Park resident was 99.

"He was the ultimate gentleman. And it was stunning to everybody that he never slowed down mentally. He was always kind, and was generous to a fault," his daughter said.

Born in Massachusetts, he was raised in Norwood and graduated fromOhio State Universityin 1928.

He returned to Cincinnati and began his career with Procter & Gamble, where he worked for more than 40 years.

When he retired, he was manager of general office services for the Cincinnati office.

He also was the international president of the National Office Managers Association.

After Mr. Emmerling retired, he began his second career, as a philanthropist.

An active member of the Rotary Club of Cincinnati, he was president in 1965, and the first recipient of the Great Living Rotarian Award, which is now known as the Walter Emmerling Award.

Mr. Emmerling was past president of the board of the Greater Cincinnati YMCA, chairman of the Friars Club, and was active in the United Way.

He contributed to the Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church and was a member of the presidents club of Ohio State University.

Mr. Emmerling was preceded in death by his first wife, Gladys Ponton; his second wife, Naomi Harper; and son, Robert Biele.

Besides his daughter, other survivors include a stepson, Timothy Bowden of Tucson, Ariz.; a stepdaughter, Sue Ellen Gornall of Albuquerque, N.M.; 10 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Services have been held. Burial was in Spring Grove Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Rotary Foundation Endowment Fund, 441 Vine St., Suite 2112, Cincinnati, 45202.

---

E-mail nhamilton@enquirer.com