Loved Ones Lost: Gerald Lee Walters, Yolanda Andrade, Frank Aiello

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a terrible toll on our Santa Barbara County communities — as of this writing, 231 of our neighbors are dead. In a new series, the Independent is putting names and faces to this growing number with the purpose of conveying the human toll of the coronavirus. We feel it is important to recognize and remember these individuals as people, not just statistics. To share the story of a lost friend or loved one, contact Senior Editor Tyler Hayden at tyler@independent.com.

Gerald Lee Walters

Gerald Lee Walters, an American veteran, was a jack of all trades who could build or fix anything. When he wasn’t tinkering, his obituary says, he was enjoying his family and friends, his beer, and slot machines.

Gerald died January 8 of COVID-19 at the age of 83 years in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he retired after working for 32 years as an acoustical ceiling engineer in Santa Barbara. He was preceded in death by his wife and their son.