Author Topic: The Whistler Man  (Read 41700 times)


Neil_H_Donahue

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Re: The Whistler Man
« Reply #1 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.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2008, 04:49:15 PM by Neil_H_Donahue »

PolishPryncess

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Re: The Whistler Man
« Reply #2 on: June 26, 2008, 06:07:36 PM »
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!



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.


Mike Rucci

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Re: The Whistler Man
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2008, 03:22:31 PM »
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

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Good role model for daily exercise
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2008, 01:54:05 PM »
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.

Bellatrees

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Re: The Whistler Man
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2009, 05:00:57 AM »
He use to say " Every time I see yea, your getting prettier an prettier ;) corner of freeland and cambridge Street..

LFlash216@aol.com

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Re: The Whistler Man
« Reply #6 on: July 23, 2010, 09:17:51 AM »
I accidently came across this site while looking up another Walter Barch that recently died.
I thought I would add a little of my knowledge of "The Whistler".
Walt Barch the Fox was my uncle.
You are right, he did live on Eastern Ave. He was a boxer in the Army. He did do some time for fondeling a child. He walked for hours and miles every day. My dad was actually his guardian for a long, long time and then a nephew took things over when my dad died. He was shot in the neck while in the service which is the reason for his mental ability and his "claw" hand. His favorite quote was exactly as Bellatrees says, "your getting prettier and prettier ever time I see ya" BUT he usually didn't remember who you were unless he saw you regularly.  It's nice to know that so many people actually knew so much about him. Thanks to all that found him interesting and showed him a little kindness. Lori

rollicannoli

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Re: The Whistler Man
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2010, 09:29:34 PM »
he died after being release from the state hospital about 10 years ago. he spent 17 years there for a crime he said he didn't do. he lived on eastern ave  by city view school.

Neil_H_Donahue

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Re: The Whistler Man
« Reply #8 on: October 10, 2011, 03:28:43 PM »
Just a follow up on Walters grave location.

1.
BARCH, WALTER   
SGT   US ARMY
WORLD WAR II
DATE OF BIRTH: 03/12/1922

DATE OF DEATH: 10/04/1995
BURIED AT: SECTION 16  SITE 602
MASSACHUSETTS NATIONAL CEMETERY
 OFF CONNERY AVENUE BOURNE, MA 02532






(MAIDEN NAME Carolynn D.) was Towle

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Re: The Whistler Man
« Reply #9 on: November 08, 2011, 05:56:16 PM »
wow the man i knew as the whistler same history as posted but didnt ...couldnt have died in 95...i saw him well after that and even way down here walking up putnam hill rd in sutton/manchaug ma. ...somewhere back in late 90's ...at least im pretty sure...i dont think it was as far back as 95 and if it was...omg time has stood still when you remember some folks
12YRS. St. PETERS SCHOOLING/CLASS OF 63/MAIN SO. 1010 COMMERCIAL GROUP/WARD SEC. SCHOOL/CB CALL NAME "COBRA LADY"/NATIVE AMER. TRIBAL AFFILIATED/NATIVE NAME INITIALS.. AWS.

theblackprince

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Re: The Whistler Man
« Reply #10 on: January 09, 2014, 11:28:14 AM »
I saw him many, many times. At first we called him "the whistler". He walked slowly and whistled beautifully. Years later I'd see him walking quickly and he'd no longer be whistling. This is when I'd see him with the sign attached to his back. I worked at Mercury Wire on Rt-9 in Spencer, just over the Leicester line. In summer we'd eat lunch on the loading dock with the shipping door open and we'd see him walk by. We'd yell "WALTER!!" and he would always acknowledge us.

jamsmanblue

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Re: The Whistler Man
« Reply #11 on: August 10, 2014, 09:32:24 AM »
wow the man i knew as the whistler same history as posted but didnt ...couldnt have died in 95...i saw him well after that and even way down here walking up putnam hill rd in sutton/manchaug ma. ...somewhere back in late 90's ...at least im pretty sure...i dont think it was as far back as 95 and if it was...omg time has stood still when you remember some folks

jamsmanblue

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Re: The Whistler Man
« Reply #12 on: August 10, 2014, 09:36:33 AM »
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




Walter Barch 


Global ID 84522
sex male
division featherweight
height 5′ 4″   /   163cm
country  USA 
residence Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
birth place Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

won 9 (KO 3) + lost 0 (KO 0) + drawn 1 = 10
 rounds boxed 39 KO% 30 




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.
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.

« Last Edit: August 10, 2014, 10:19:16 AM by jamsmanblue »