Walter David Rosenfeld Jr. of Newton, a 48-year summer resident of Edgartown, died on Wednesday, May 16. He was two weeks shy of his 88th birthday.

Born in New York city on May 30, 1930, he was the son of Walter David Rosenfeld Sr. and his wife Florence (Romann) Rosenfeld. Walter graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1952 and subsequently taught English at Indiana University, where he met the love of his life and deeply devoted wife of over 63 years, Marilyn Smith. Together they moved to New Haven, Conn., where he enrolled in the Yale University School of Architecture and Marilyn enrolled in Yale’s School of Art.

Their university life was interrupted when Walter was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1955 and, after basic training, was sent to serve in post-war Germany. Marilyn soon joined him in Europe and upon completing his two years of peacetime service, the couple returned to New Haven. While at school and by then the father of two young children, Walter was offered a job at an architecture firm in Boston and decided to move his family to Newton, where they lived for more than 57 years.

His distinguished career was highlighted by his extended tenure as a construction specifications writer and associate director at The Architects Collaborative in Cambridge. Walter was a skilled and witty story teller, reader, tinkerer, Scrabble player (English and French), pun-maker and loyal friend who enjoyed wildlife and preserving the environment, classical music (especially light opera), Democratic party politics and his family.

He is survived by his loving wife Marilyn; his sister Annette Paley and her husband Norton of Falls Church, Va.; his son John Rosenfeld and his wife Ketty of Newton; his daughter Sarah Tuso and her husband Ron of Atlanta, Ga.; his daughter Susannah Shoaf and her husband Allan of Temecula, Calif.; his daughter Elizabeth Smith and her husband Dell of Lowell; his grandson Socrates Rosenfeld and his wife Emily of Santa Cruz, Calif.; his granddaughter Alexandra Rosenfeld of Boston; his grandson Abraham Rosenfeld and his wife Jessie of Capitola, Calif.; his grandson Matthew Shoaf of Temecula, Calif.; and nieces Julia Paley and Susan Paley.

A funeral service is planned for Wednesday, May 23 at 11 a.m. at the chapel at the Newton Cemetery, with interment to follow.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Massachusetts Audubon Society.