Walter Wishard Remembered Oct. 16 in New Port Richey

Walter Ivan Wishard of Trinity died Sept. 25, 2026, surrounded by family. A service honoring his life will take place Friday, Oct. 16, at 2 p.m. at Florida National Cemetery.

Friends and family will gather from 5 to 7 p.m. at 2702 Shipston Avenue in New Port Richey, near the historic Hacienda Hotel, to share memories and fellowship.

The family asks attendees to wear blue in his honor and encourages donations to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in lieu of flowers.

Wishard, affectionately known as “Ivan the Great,” married Ida Catherine “Cathy” Zeigler on April 25, 1958. They moved to Florida from Maryland in 1961 and raised two children, Keven Wishard and Kim Cherry. They later welcomed seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

His career in the dairy industry spanned more than six decades. After high school, Wishard worked for Superior Dairy. He served in the U.S. Army as a teletype repairman during the Korean Conflict before joining Sealtest, where he eventually oversaw operations across Florida. He left Sealtest in 1978 and opened Ivan’s Pre-Owned Appliances. He also co-founded Clover Creek Foods, a dairy distribution company that operated for 37 years.

Wishard’s diverse ventures included mowing grass, husking corn, owning a preschool, buying and selling real estate, operating produce stands, and repairing and selling used appliances.

Family members remembered his faith in Jesus, his love for golf and travel, dancing with Cathy, listening to music by George Jones, and making milkshakes for his grandchildren, whom he called “rugrats.”

He is survived by Cathy; Keven and his wife, Anna; Kim and her husband, Tony; and their descendants.

The family included the words “Well done, good and faithful servant” from Matthew 25:23 with the obituary.