Walt was born on February 10, 1910 in Cody and lived his entire life in Cody (except for a short period during World War II where he worked for a defense contractor in the Seattle area). He married Lura Beryl Borner on October 8, 1932 in Red Lodge Montana. Walt learned the building trade from his dad Fred and continued the Gail Construction tradition until his retirement and transfer of ownership to Park in 1975. He was considered a master builder and had a reputation for fine craftsmanship in building and remodeling throughout the Cody area. He had many interests including hunting, fishing, and flying. Walt's interest in flying started during the barnstorming days when he was about twelve years old when he would sell tickets for visiting pilots in exchange for a plane ride for himself. He was one of Wyoming's first glider pilots and was a pioneer of flight in the Cody area. A portrait of Walt in front of his home-built Corbin is displayed in the Cody's Airport.