Walt Wilson can tell you about the time a milkman helped him nab a serial burglar-arsonist back in 1946.

The former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper also can relate stories about the different makes of cruisers he drove over the region’s highways.

Mr. Wilson celebrated his 100th birthday Sunday afternoon with dozens of family and friends at Country Squire.

“I think it’s great,” he said, with a long receiving line of well-wishers drawing to a close.

He concluded his career in 1969, following decades of service to the public. He is the patrol’s oldest living former member, said Troop H spokesman Sgt. Sheldon Lyon.

One of his most revered accomplishments was helping end the reign of a man who was said to be terrorizing Northwest Missouri with a string of unsolved burglaries and arsons. The crime wave influenced the creation of community vigilance committees, according to a Troop H history. The crimes started in the Kansas City area and occurred in the fall of 1946, Mr. Wilson said.

“He hit most of the towns between there and Laredo” in Grundy County, he said.

Finally, the milkman recognized the suspected pyromaniac, Elopus Walker, and reported his discovery to law enforcement.

“And then I caught him,” Mr. Wilson said.

Mr. Walker later confessed to the crimes.

It wasn’t all about crime waves in those early days of Troop H’s existence. Mr. Wilson recalled driving Fords, Dodges, Buicks and Mercurys while on patrol duty.

“They were all kept up well,” he said.

His colleagues also enjoyed the time they spent with him in the patrol.

“He was a real wise, great officer. He was my lieutenant. He treated me right,” said Dean Green, who retired to Hawaii but still has family in the area.

Bill Hollingsworth had to undergo a background check by Mr. Wilson before gaining his job with the patrol.

“He was one of the few guys they hired as an auxiliary,” he said.

Later Troop H members knew about his reputation and his value as a historian of state law enforcement as it stood in Northwest Missouri at mid-20th century.

“He’s just a guy we thought a lot of,” said patrol retiree Rex Barnett of Maryville, who joined the troop in 1962.

Mr. Lyon agreed.

“A lot of the things we read about, he was a part of that,” he said. “We’re proud of him.”

Fellow Country Squire resident Patricia Grier said Mr. Wilson had been looking forward to celebrating his birthday over the past few weeks.

“He’s interesting to talk to,” she said.

Family members reported many birthday cards were received at the party and through the mail — including one referring to Badge No. 171 on its envelope.

Ray Scherer can be reached

at rscherer@npgco.com.