Valiantly and with acceptance Wally passed away peacefully at Sunnybrook Veterans Hospital. A good honourable man and devoted husband to Ella for 45 years. Beloved father of Paulette, Bryan (Myrna), Colleen, Jim Gomez and the late Richard Beech. Loving grandfather of Stacey (Cindy), Gabriel (Natasha), Isaiah (Kate), Jacob and Benjamin, 12 great grandchildren, 12 great, great grandchildren and many nephews and nieces. Predeceased by his children’s mother Armande (Garneau), mother Mary Lou (Belle) Lukes, brother Mervin and sister Delores (Hunt).
Wally was a member of the Hiawatha First Nation and was born near Beaverton, Ontario. He enlisted at 17 to become a wireless navigator with the RCAF, flew in 31 bombing raids over Germany in the period of 5 years. He completed a Tour of Operations on Canadian built Lancasters, recorded in 5 books. He was a proud member of the 419 Moose Squadron.
After the war he began his career as a salesman for Cochrane Dunlop Hardware with industrial accounts such as General Electric, Ford, Chrysler, General Motors, the mines of eastern Ontario and A.V Roe, the creators of the Avro Arrow.
When Wally left Cochrane Dunlop he began selling engineered steel buildings. His company A-Z Technical Building Systems Inc. became a successful operation due to his people skills and his aptitude for sales and service. This resulted in many referrals and customers across Canada, the USA as well as Cuba.
Throughout his life, he was avid outdoorsman that included an annual moose hunting trip with his brother Merv, other family members and friends. His interest in sports lead him to making back yard hockey rinks for the kids, coaching minor hockey, watching grandchildren play and a bucket list that had the Toronto Maple Leafs winning the Stanley Cup again. His love for bridge became an important part of his and Ella’s later life with many days and evenings filled with food, friendship and competition.
He was grateful for all God gave him, having built his faith upon the rock of his early life of prayer and Indian hymns and his subsequent roles as a Sunday school teacher, Mason and active church goer. He will forever be fondly remembered for his friendly personality, generosity, contagious smile and love of dance and song.
A sincere thank you to the staff at Sunnybrook who cared for him. Funeral Services will be held at Islington United Church, 25 Burnhamthorpe Road on Friday, February 23, 2018 at 11 AM. Visitation will be one hour prior to service time at the church. If desired, memorial donations made to Sunnybrook Veterans Hospital.