Dr. Walter Enloe, 73, of Golden Valley, unexpectedly passed away on April 1, 2022.

Walter was a loving husband, father, teacher, educational leader, scholar, author, artist, peace activist, and friend.

Born in Louisiana in 1949, Walter spent the bulk of the 1960s in Hiroshima, Japan, with his parents, brother, and two sisters. He met his wife, Kitty Enloe, at Eckerd College, and went on to Emory University's Institute of Liberal Arts, where he became immersed in Jean Piaget's developmental theory of knowledge and earned his PhD while also teaching at the Paideia School.

Walter began his career as an early childhood, elementary, and secondary teacher at Paideia. In 1980, he moved with his wife and young son, Isaac, to Hiroshima, Japan, where he was the principal and lead teacher at Hiroshima International School. After 8 years in Japan, where his daughter, Serene, was born, Walter and his family moved to Minnesota, where Walter was an associate professor at the University of Minnesota's Center for Global Education. Beginning in 1994, Dr. Enloe served as a faculty member at Hamline University's School of Education for 23 years. He helped create Hamline's MAEd and EdD programs and served as the Gordon B. Sanders Chair in Education.

Throughout his life and career, Walter was deeply involved in fostering learning communities with a focus on project-based learning, democratic education, peace education, and activism. He was on the cutting edge of the charter school movement in Minnesota and worked to support the creation of several innovative schools. Walter was a founding consultant for both Twin Cities Academy and Avalon School, among others. He was also a senior consultant for Education Evolving, a consultant and board member for EdVisions, a fellow at the Center for Policy Design, and a founding member of the Birds of Peace Educators Collaborative. A prolific author and artist, Walter authored and co-authored multiple books and publications over the years, and likewise created a rich portfolio of visual art. walterenloe.com

Walter's life was a life well-lived with a tremendous impact for good in the world. He achieved the goals he had set for himself in the Philosophy of Life he wrote at age 14:

When I die I want to have left something to the world even though it may affect only a few people. I want to have made my life useful and helpful to other people and to society. I want to be a good citizen of my community, state, country and world. I want to grow in respect and understanding of all cultures and peoples beginning with my Japanese friends and neighbors in Hiroshima. I want to help preserve peace and goodwill among all peoples through tolerance and respect, treating all peoples with respect and love.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to UNICEF.

Published on April 10, 2022