William Walter Breithaupt was born in Berlin (later Kitchener), Ontario June 7, 1894 to parents Louis Jacob and Emma Alvarene Devitt. He received his education at the Kitchener Collegiate Institute, and attended both Northwestern College, Naperville, Illinois and the University of Toronto. He worked at the Breithaupt Leather company, the family business. William served in World War I as a lieutenant in the Infantry in Spring of 1916. He served in Canada in various capacities before heading to England for further training in 1918 where he was on Armistice Day. He returned to Canada where he was honourably discharged in May of 1919.

William Walter married Gertrude Irene Hughes of Toronto on December 12, 1919 in Toronto. The couple lived in Kitchener, and had two children. A son, William Ransom was born August 7, 1920. William Ransom served in World War II as a flying officer in the 239th Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force. He was shot down on September 13, 1944 near Cologne, Germany, did not survive and is buried in Rheinberg, Germany War Graves. A second son, Norman Hughes was born December 31, 1924 in Kitchener.

Gertrude died April 10, 1954 and was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener. William Walter died in Scarborough, Ontario on January 7, 1977 and was buried with Gertrude.