Walter Durst

(1905-1993)

Member #21

Rock River Thresheree Class of 1964

BELOIT -- Walter Durst, age 87, of Rt. 1, Butterfly Road, Beloit, WI, died Fri., Jan. 22, 1993, in Beloit Memorial Hospital. He was born Oct. 16, 1905, the son of John B. and Rosa Boniger Durst, in Cedarville, IL. He was educated at a Clayton, WI, vocational school. He married Lillian Van Zanton; she died in 1978. He later married Edna Pierson Phelps.

After starting out as a poultry farmer, economic depression caused Mr. Durst to begin operating a small machine shop in a vacated chicken house. This founded the roots of the Durst Corporation. In 1934, he built his own foundry to complement the machine shop. Today, the firm remains in Shopiere as the Durst Power Transmission Division, owned by Regal-Beloit Corporation. Mr. Durst designed and built many machines and gear boxes. In 1958, he played a major role in the design and development of a gear drive concept, instrumental to the success of the electric power center-pivot irrigation system. He developed the first center-pivot wheel drive. He also developed the first efficient gear-drive machine to spread limestone in fields, spreading six tons of limestone is six minutes. In 1966, he sold the business to Beloit Tool Company (now Regal-Beloit Corporation), but remained president for many years. Mr. Durst has been active in the Rock County Thresheree, of which he was a founder, where visitors for years have been given rides on his steam-powered train. He has a collection of steam-powered vehicles and would often be seen riding his Stanley Steamer in Memorial Day parades.

His hobbies included big game hunting. He took a safari to Africa in 1967. He was a member of Shopiere Congregational Church., Turtle Grange, Town of Turtle Board, Turtle Community Organization, Beloit Saddle Club, Beloit Lions Club, Beloit Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, and the Janesville Senior Citizen Old Time Brass Band. He was a charter member of the original Fourth of July Committee in Shopiere.

Survivors include his wife, Edna; his son, Thomas Durst of Spokane, WA; three grandchildren, Lisa Cullen and Douglas Krafjack, both of Beloit, and Esther Durst of Spokane, WA; three great-grandchildren; a niece, Evelyn Adams and a nephew, Clarence Schaffer, both of Dayton, OH. He was predeceased by his parents; daughter, Janet Cullen; a sister, Anna Schaffer; and a brother, Jacob Durst.

Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m. Mon., Jan. 25, in the Daley-Murphy-Wisch and Associates Funeral Home, 2355 Cranston Road, Beloit, with Pastor Andrew Siedsma from Shopiere Congregation Church officiating. Burial will be in Shopiere Cemetery, Shopiere, WI. Friends may call from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m. and from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home. Memorials may be given to the Shopiere Congregational Church.

[Source: The Janesville Gazette, January 1993]