The Whistler Man

[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!

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]

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.

[Bellatrees]

He use to say " Every time I see yea, your getting prettier an prettier corner of freeland and cambridge Street..

[LFlash216@aol.com]

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]

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]

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]

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

[theblackprince]

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]

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]

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.

[jamsmanblue]

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 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!