June 6, 2001
LAND O'LAKES NewsWeb Home
Walter leaves a legacy of service to his community
By David BrisonWalter Wilson died at the age of 72 on May 28, after a long battle with lung cancer.
Walter and his wife Muriel retired to his fathers summer home in Ompah in 1989, and he became involved in a number of community activities, such as: the Ompah Fish Hatchery; serving as councillor for two terms in the former Palmerston Council; and for two terms in the newly amalgamated North Frontenac Council. His son Thomas noted in his eulogy that Walter told him when he retired that one of his goals was to become involved in the community. His friend Don Bryson, in another eulogy said, in a comment that will resonate with many, Walter made the quality of life in Ompah better for the people who live there.
Don and Thomas touched on a number of qualities that endeared Walter to many that knew him, and which undoubtedly made him a few enemies along the way. He was a fighter who was willing to take on anyone or anybody - from irate and disgruntled North Frontenac taxpayers, to Ministry of Natural Resource officials, to the CRTC, and up to the Prime Minister. He had a fertile and very active sense of humour, and he enjoyed life. Walter also liked and admired others who had the same fighting qualities and had many friends who had different political beliefs. His political leanings were, as he was fond of saying, true blue conservative.
Walter left high school at the age of 15 and went to work in Trenton at Hinde-Dauch (latter to become DOMTAR). He progressed rapidly to tower boss, to foreman, and then to plant supervisor. His career at DOMTAR spanned 45 years, and for 35 years of that time he was a supervisor at plants in Red Rock, Prescott (twice), and Chatham.
Walter also loved to write what he called his missiles. First on a standard typewriter and more recently on a computer, Walter would write notes on every meeting he attended and send them to anyone whom he thought would be interested or whom he might be able to influence. His sense of humour usually always came through, and his love of language as a means to entertain, teach, and influence.
A letter he wrote to an Ompah neighbour illustrates this. They had been working together to get Bell Telephone to provide a local hook-up to Perth. Walter had made a presentation to the CRTC in Ottawa and had made presentations to Bell management. However, his neighbour was dismayed when the hook-up was to be to Bancroft not to Perth. Walter wrote:
I would like to relate a similar circumstance that happened to me as a youth, I wrote a letter to Santa requesting an aviator style hat for Christmas. You know the type that pulls down over your ears I was shocked when I opened my package Christmas morning to discover that Santa had made a serious mistake and instead of a hat had delivered a pair of wool mittens. I have to tell you that I was very disappointed with this set of circumstances, until I discovered that if I held them to my head they would offer warmth to my ears as well Whether a pair of mitts or a hat, the gift was something I needed and I rejoiced slowly with that knowledge Please keep the faith. We live to fight another day.
One never knew what Walter would say, either in print or in person, but it was always interesting and to the point and often funny.
Gerry Ladouceur, a friend and immediate neighbour who worked for years on the development of the fish hatchery, said that Walter was very determined to make anything he worked on a success. He would say, Gerry, we are going to make this hatchery the best in the country. He also had a practical engineering ingenuity and was able to apply common sense to problems.
Walter loved the outdoor life, hunting and fishing. He was devoted to his family his wife Muriel, one son, two daughters, and five grandchildren. A Robert Frost poem sums up Walters approach to life:
And were an epitaph to be my story
Id have written of me on my stone:
I had a lovers quarrel with the world.
(A description of the Ompah Fish Hatchery, with colour photos, is on our Land OLakes NewsWeb. Click here to link to the previous article.)
