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The Whistler Man

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PolishPryncess:
http://Hey guys!! True Worcester Resident born and raised (and still living here) but I have a question. Does anyone remember the guy that used to walk around EVERYWHERE whistling? I rmeember growing up on Millbury St. (When it was safe to live there) and everyday I would see him walk by and everyday he would stop and say hi to me and say [quote]"How's the Polish Princess doing today?"[/quote]I rememeber when I was a kid....he was so fun to see cause he would always whiste!! When we were inside and we heard the whistling...we would run out to say hi to him! He is a memory that will never leave my childhood growing up but I would like to know what ever happened to him. Can someone let me know? Thanks!

Neil_H_Donahue:
The Whistler mans  name was Walter Barch. He could walk backwards and hold a conversation with you while he was walking.. But he had to keep moving.. I believe he was from the Bell Hill neighborhood. I even saw him walking along route 9 around Breezy Bend in the Leicester, Spencer area. You are right about him being a piece of Worcester's history. I also remember he always wore a sign on his back with his name on it..I'm trying to pick my brain and a few others who also knew him.  Thanks for the memory of the Whistler, Walter Barch.
Follow up.. His remaining years were at the  Belmont Home. I have been told he is buried at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Otis Air Base. Walter was a WWII Veteran. Thank you Walter from all those Worcester residents who loved to hear you whistle. "TheFox"
 Massachusetts National Cemetery link below
BURIED AT: SECTION 16  SITE 602
http://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/massachuetts.asp


More links about Walter Barch below
Story about Walter in Spencer
http://www.wormtowntaxi.com/2007/09/kenwood-diner.html

A story by Tony Hmura about Walter in this link.
http://anthonyhmura.blogspot.com/2008/03/my-family.html
Read the story growing up .
Anthony Hmura.com...TheAZL.com*org: My Family
My friend Walter Barch, a top boxer in Massachusetts, used to train with me. Well...when I was drafted, and Walter enlisted, everything changed.

PolishPryncess:
Thank you for giving me some detail to Walter....like I siad he will always be in my memory. Its sad to hear that he passed away but he will forever be in my heart!




--- Quote from: Neil_H_Donahue on June 25, 2008, 06:58:44 PM ---The Whistler mans  name was Walter Barch. He could walk backwards and hold a conversation with you while he was walking.. But he had to keep moving.. I believe he was from the Bell Hill neighborhood. I even saw him walking along route 9 around Breezy Bend in the Leicester, Spencer area. You are right about him being a piece of Worcester's history. I also remember he always wore a sign on his back with his name on it..I'm trying to pick my brain and a few others who also knew him.  Thanks for the memory of the Whistler, Walter Barch.
Follow up.. His remaining years were at the  Belmont Home. I have been told he is buried at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Otis Air Base. Walter was a WWII Veteran. Thank you Walter from all those Worcester residents who loved to hear you whistle. "TheFox"
 Massachusetts National Cemetery link below
BURIED AT: SECTION 16  SITE 602
http://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/massachuetts.asp


More links about Walter Barch below
Story about Walter in Spencer
http://www.wormtowntaxi.com/2007/09/kenwood-diner.html

A story by Tony Hmura about Walter in this link.
http://anthonyhmura.blogspot.com/2008/03/my-family.html
Read the story growing up .
Anthony Hmura.com...TheAZL.com*org: My Family
My friend Walter Barch, a top boxer in Massachusetts, used to train with me. Well...when I was drafted, and Walter enlisted, everything changed.


--- End quote ---

Mike Rucci:
I lived on bell hill for many years and got to know walter Do you know why he whistled all the time  Ist of he was a boxer in the 50s 60s I asked him 1 day why he whistles all the time  he had told me that he got accused of fondling a girl and did time for  something he didnt do  he whistled to let people know where he was and when he was comming so it wouldnt  ever happen to him again,

Roger (Hunt) Frost:
The person who walked and encouraged everyone else to walked, was a good role model for exercise.  I heard through others he could lived for a whiile on Eastern Avenue, on top of the hill by the new school area.

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