Walter Victor Pienkowski was born on August 7, 1952 to Walter Joseph Pienkowski and Roxanne Mary Fairman Pienkowski in Chicago, Ill. Both of his parents died before he was 9 years old, but he had other family that raised him on a large dairy farm northwest of Chicago which became Hoffman Estates. He later attended school in Hoffman Estates. The farm life gave him a character strength and work ethic that served him well all his life.In April of 1970, at age 17, Walter enlisted in the U.S. Navy where, because of his intellect and talent, they kept him in a holding pattern until his 18th birthday, so that they could place him in the Builder Class