Grandpa Zeb Walton is the patriarch of the Walton family. He is John Walton's father and has been married to Esther Walton for over 50 years. As Esther says, he has a gruff exterior, but a soft heart. He works with John in the family timber mill, and has a knack of being able to give good advice to everyone who asks, through the stories he tells. He spends a lot of time up in the mountains, doing a variety of things.