Charlotte, Iowa, Mayor and volunteer firefighter, Walter Eberhart, 51 was pronounced dead on arrival December 22, 1981 after he collapsed while fighting a fire in Charlotte.

Walt was born July 31, 1930, in Charlotte to Albert and Rose Eberhart, the second of 10 children. He married Carole Ketelsen on September 13, 1958 in Charlotte. He had served as mayor of Charlotte since 1979 and had been recently elected to a second term. He was a member of the Charlotte Volunteer Fire Department for over 20 years, served on the Clinton County Solid Waste Commission Board and Charlotte Fire Association Board and was head maintenance director for Northeast Community Schools.

His wife, Carole, passed away in December 2018. Walt has three children; Shelly (Kenny) Mohr, Patti (Rick) Christiansen, and Andrew Cathy) Eberhart. He had one grandchild, Kelly Hosette, before his passing who lost her husband, Eric Hosette, fighting a fire for Clinton Fire Department in January 2019. Walt and Carole have six grandchildren.