Dear Judy,
Thank you for sending us Tribute for Wally. We lived so much of our lives apart. Our family visits were infrequent but enjoyable despite the bustle involved in traveling long distances with the kids! Wally will always be remembered fondly by me as my brother, uncle to Jennifer and brother-in-law to Bill.
We have fond memories of visiting you and Wally in Calgary for the Stampede, of your hospitality in showing us around Calgary and how much it had grown over the years since I left.
We also remember visiting your mountain cabin where one night a suspected bear woke the kids with menacing growling but turned out it was one of ‘us’ snoring! Lots of laughs over that!!
On a family visit to California, a fun tenting campout for the kids in our backyard had to be scuttled after Grandpa Soboren (jokingly) mentioned that rattlesnakes had been spotted in a neighbors back yard. Naturally some of the kids refused to sleep in the tent so we had to find beds inside, even with our neighbors!! We had never seen a rattlesnake in our back yard.
When we went to San Francisco Wally mostly wanted to browse in technical bookstores (he knew which ones) and leave the rest of us to the sightseeing stuff. He really loved books!!
On trips to the US he told us he liked to stop and study geologic formations along the route. Now when we pass interesting rock formations we think of how he would have enjoyed telling us about their origins and history. He knew a lot about so many things!
We will miss his quirky personality and knowledge.
I am sure Wally knew how fortunate he was to have found a life-partner in you, Judy, who would love and understand him, and help him take a productive, happy path in life.
We love you so much for what you did for Wally. And of course for being the person you are for everyone!!
Love,
Josephine
