Walter thinks of himself as a travel facilatator.
"Since
my family like to travel, I love finding the least expensive way
to do it." And, I enjoy sharing the information.
If you can find a cheaper way to travel I hope you will take it. I search almost everyday for the least expensive option for my trips. I will even help you find a bargin!
Traveling with a group has many advantages.
Businesses
give discounts for group bookings and events. Hotel rooms are
generally less expensive for groups. Group reservations can be
modified so additions and deletions from the group are easier to
make. And, traveling with friends is much more fun!
Walter grew up in Dallas, Texas and after high school graduation attended North Texas State University as a Voice Major. After the death of his mother in 1965 he transfered to Oklahoma Baptist Univeristy where he received a Bachelor of Music degree and then attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
While at OBU Walter was a member of OBU Tuneclippers and traveled with them singing across Oklahoma and on a USO tour to military bases in the Carribbean. He also traveled and performed with a "folk singing" group called the Persimmon Hill Singers. Walter and his friend, Jim Runyon, traveled with Gene Bartlett (Oklahoma Baptist's State Music Director) and were the first guitarists on the stage at Falls Creek Baptist Assembly.
Walter Grady serves as CEO of BasicSolutions (a computer and
networking solutions company) and Grady Tours.
Basic
Solutions began in 1976 with the introduction of the Radio Shack
Model 1 computer. Grady’s first computer program was for his
church’s bowling league. Later he wrote programs to track
purchases at a local restaurant and track patient immunizations
at pediatric offices.
He currently has Microsoft
Certifications in networking, security, Server Administration,
and Windows 10 installation and maintenance. He plans to complete
a certification in Windows 2019 Server this year.
Grady Tours is a outgrowth of his 30 year ministry as
Minister of Music at First Baptist Church in Ardmore, Ok where he
directed activities for senior adults. These activities included
planning and leading trips for FBC’s senior adult ministry.
After
retirement from full time ministry in 2017, Walter continued to plan
and lead three to five trip each year. These trips have included a
10 day Panama Canal cruise, a Mediteranian cruse from Barcelona and
trips to Niagara Falls Canada, Boston, Washington DC, the Ark
Encounter in Kentucky, Hawaii, and several Alaska cruises.
Currently, Grady Tours plans 4-6 trips each year. This year,
Grady Tours has joined Recreation Adventure, an Oklahoma City
Christian travel group, to plan motor coach trips to Asheville,
North Carolina and the Ark Encounter/Creation Museum in Kentucky.
Walter
and Kathy have been married for over 50 years. They have two
children-Mary Katharine and Michael Sean. They travel around the
world together on family trips. This picture is from the trip to the
Grand Caymans. Michael is hard to please but he
thought the sting-ray was awesome!
In addition to his responsibilities with Grady Tours and BasicSolutions Walter loves racquetball. In 2019 he qualified for the National Senior Adult Games. "Any day with racquetball is a good day!"
