SAN ANGELO-Steven M. Walther, MD, died Sunday, August 31, in San Angelo, TX from complications of ALS.
Dr. Walther was born on October 19, 1952 in Austin, Texas to Milton F. Walther and Carolyn Anne Blasig Walther. He graduated valedictorian of his Lufkin High School class in 1971.
Dr. Walther earned his B.S. in chemistry from the University of Texas in 1974. He graduated summa cum laude and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He married Barbara Lane on June 15, 1974.
Dr. Walther earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas, Southwestern Medical School in 1978; he was valedictorian of his class and earned the Ho Din Award. The Ho Din celebrates "the spirit of medical wisdom and human understanding" and is the foremost honor bestowed on outstanding seniors at UT Southwestern. He was president of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society at UT Southwestern.
Other academic honors included a Welch Foundation research grant in organic chemistry and a preceptorship from the American Lung Association. In 1981, he was selected for the radiology course at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Dr. Walther completed an internship in pediatrics at Children's Medical Center in Dallas and a residency in diagnostic radiology at Parkland Hospital, Dallas.
He was board certified in diagnostic radiology by the American Board of Radiology in 1982. He completed a Fellowship in Ultrasound & Computed Tomography at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas, Southwestern Medical School in 1983.
The Walther family moved to San Angelo in 1983, where Dr. Walther became a partner in San Angelo Radiology, P.A. He practiced at St. John's Hospital, Shannon Medical Center, and San Angelo Community Medical Center. He was the first medical director of the first magnetic resonance imaging center in San Angelo.
Dr. Walther is survived by his wife, Judge Barbara Walther; son, Dr. Stewart Lane Walther; daughter, Katherine Ann Walther Hodges, her husband, Bill, and their two children. He also is survived by his father, his brother, Bruce, and his sister, Vickie, and in-laws, Jim and Julia Lane and Bill and Susan Lane.
Dr. Walther was preceded in death by his mother, Carolyn, and his father-in-law James F. Lane and his mother-in-law Dorothy Watson Lane.
There will be a rosary at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 3, 2014 at Holy Angels Catholic Church. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2 p.m., Thursday, September 4, 2014 at Holy Angels Catholic Church, followed by private internment ceremony at Fairmont Cemetery.
Pallbearers include: Joe R. Andrews, Dr. Edward Joseph Artnak, Len Mertz, Mort Mertz, Trey Berry, Randol Stout, Gary Johnson.
The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to Carmelite Sisters of Christoval.

Jesus Rios Zapata, 86, of San Angelo went to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, August 30, 2014 in San Angelo. The Rosary will be 7:00 P.M., Friday, September 5, 2014 at Johnson's Funeral Home Chapel. The Funeral Mass will be 2:00 P.M., Saturday, September 6, 2014 at St. Mary's Catholic Church with Rev. Joey Faylona and Rev. Emilio Sosa as Celebrants. Interment will follow at Calvary Catholic Cemetery. Survivors include his wife Lucinda Zapata, of San Angelo; his children, Ray Zapata, of San Angelo, Jessie Zapata, of Galveston, Daniel Zapata, Jr. of San Angelo and Rebecca Zapata, of San Angelo; 12 Grandchidlren; his Brothers, Cali Zapata, of San Angelo and Trini Zapata, of San Angelo; and his Sisters, Inez Noriega, of San Angelo and Anita Wellborn, of Houston. Arrangements are by Johnson's Funeral Home.