Due to the impending storm, the funeral Mass has been rescheduled to Tuesday, February 24 at 10:30 a.m.
Walter Steven Motyka, 85, a longtime resident of Newtown, Connecticut and most recently of Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, passed away on February 16th, 2026.
He was born in 1940 in Ware, Massachusetts, to Steven and Emily Motyka and was raised in nearby West Warren. In 1964, he married Sandra Rosa of West Warren, Massachusetts. Together they shared 62 wonderful years of marriage and welcomed their son, Mark, in 1965.
In 1968, Walt and Sandy moved to Newtown, Connecticut, where they raised their family and established deep roots in the community. Walter was actively involved in town life, most notably serving on the Newtown Economic Development Committee. In the 1990s, they built their dream home, where they spent many cherished years together. In 2021, they relocated to Yarmouth Port on Cape Cod to be closer to family.
Walt built his life on the core values of family, faith, service, hard work, and independence. He was the first in the Motyka family to earn a college degree. After attending trade school in Springfield, Massachusetts, he joined the United States Air Force, serving from 1959 to 1962, including two years stationed in Korea. During his service, he continued his education in preparation for junior college and later graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in engineering. He went on to have a successful and distinguished career at JPL, Uniroyal, Remington Arms, Perkin Elmer, Jacob’s Engineering, and contributed to renowned projects including the Hubble Space Telescope.
Walt devoted his life to his family, his work, his friendships, and a deep love of travel. Together, he and Sandy explored the world across four continents. They journeyed through Europe by boat, discovering its rivers, canals, and castles, snorkeled in the Caribbean, “pet” pandas in China, and stood along the banks of the Nile in Egypt.
He enjoyed spending his days with his family and his dog, working on projects around the house and in the yard, and ending a hard day’s work with a scotch while listening to piano on CD or vinyl.
Walt is survived by his wife, Sandy; his son, Mark Motyka, and Mark’s wife, Moira, of Hopkinton, Massachusetts; and his grandchildren, Shannon and Joel Kish of Chicago, Illinois, and Tommy and Maggie Motyka of Swampscott, Massachusetts.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Funeral Mass on Tuesday, February 24, at 10:30 a.m. at Saint John the Evangelist Parish, 20 Church Street, Hopkinton, MA. Celebration of life to follow held at Arturo’s Ristorante, 54 E Main Street, Westborough, MA.
Private burial with military honors will be held at Massachusetts National Cemetery Bourne, MA.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Callanan Cronin Funeral Home, Hopkinton.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Saint Rose of Lima Church, 46 Church Hill Road, Newtown, Connecticut, where Walt was a longtime parishioner.