Bruce Walthers Passes on

[KlickyMobster]

My condolences and best wishes to the Walthers family.  It is a sad day when such a great man and pioneer of the hobby pashes on.  My prayers go out to his family and friends.

[BRAKIE]

My condolences to his family

Also Bobbye Hall pass... My condolences to her family..

[jacon12]

Before I even got into the hobby a couple of years ago, I purchased a Walther's catalog from an LHS.  Thumbing through it's pages, reading the articles and looking over the photos is one of the things that gave me the little push I needed to enter the model railroading world.  The other day I came across a copy of Walther's 1976 HO Railroad Catalog & Craft Train Reference Manual.  It has 256 pages and all black and white except for a few color photos in the center.  The cover price was $4.50.  Comparing it to their present day HO catalog gives one an idea of the growth and evident prosperity of the company and I don't think they could have done so well for so long without good leaders, especially the founder.

JaRRell

[SilverSpike]

Our heart felt thoughts and prayers go out to the Walthers family and friends during this time of need.

Bruce Walthers will surely be missed by many.

[Bob grech]

My condolences to his family. A true pioneer in the MR World. He will be surely missed. 

[warhammerdriver]

He may be departed in body, but his spirit lives on in the basement/garage of every model railroader!

May he rest in peace.

Amen to that.

 Amen.

 

[loathar]

That's too bad. They just had on an episode of Tracks Ahead with an interveiw with him and a tour of the company. I think it was from back in the 80's.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

He may be departed in body, but his spirit lives on in the basement/garage of every model railroader!

May he rest in peace.

Amen to that.

[R. T. POTEET]

My condolences to the family.

While stationed abroad with the Air Force in the 1960s and 1970s I frequently did business with Walthers through Terminal Hobby Shop.  One thing I came to appreciate in my business dealings with Wm K. Walthers was that a credit memo for items on an order which could not be filled always accompanied the return order with a notation that this credit memo could, and would, be refunded if desired.  This was definitely not the policy with all mail order companies with which I did business.

Anyway, on one particular occasions I returned one of these credit memos for a refund; when I failed to hear from the company after some time I sent a letter of inquiry.  Within ten days to two weeks I had a refund in hand and a letter - it may well have been a form letter but I don't care about that - with Bruce Walthers' signature at the bottom; the letter stated that they had no record of having received the credit memo in the mail but they were refunding my credit and they apologized for any inconvenience which I had born.

That attitude towards customer service is why Wm K. Walthers, Inc is in their eighth decade of service to the model railroading hobby.

Bruce will be missed.

Jay Anderson
Phoenix, Az   

[grayfox1119]

We have lost another of the pioneers or Model Railroading.......my thoughts and prayers for the Walthers family at this time of great family sadness. We share in your sadness.

[selector]

I can honestly say that, were it not for the vision and business accumen of the entire Walthers family, I could not enjoy the hobby as I do today, and I thank them all for that.

It is a sad time to hear of the passing of anyone who does so much for others, and Mr. B. Walthers is no exception.  He led a good life, and I am sure he is well loved.

-Crandell Overton

[ARTHILL]

I am so sorry to hear he is gone, but SO GLAD he was here. I went down to the train room and got out my 1944 Walthers catalogue and there was his name on the last page with the other employees away at war. Margaret and WM. K Jr were also on the list. Thanks to all of you for helping all of us enjoy a great passion.

[One Track Mind]

My sympathies and condolences to the entire Walthers family...

Model train shops wouldn't be what they are today without the hard work of all three generations of Walthers.

Such a shock to see the news on their website a few minutes ago. Our thoughts and prayers will be sent up that way.

[Milwhiawatha]

Thoughts and prayers go to the family. Fortunately I got into the hobby because of Walthers.

[tstage]

I, too, am saddened by the news and sad for the Walthers family, as a whole.  A father is a father...and always will be.

Tom 

[lvanhen]

I am deeply saddened by the news.  My sincere condolenses to the Walthers family, he will be greatly missed.

[Anonymous]

My condolences to his family and friends.

[CSX_road_slug]

He may be departed in body, but his spirit lives on in the basement/garage of every model railroader!

May he rest in peace.

[AntonioFP45]

I am very sad to read this news.  The Walthers family can never be given enough credit for the tremendous impact that they've made in this hobby.  I still remember back in 1978 when I bought my first Walthers Catalog for ( I think ) $5.00.   I often took it with me to school and spent my entire lunch period looking through it.

From a greatful modeler and railfan,  

God Bless his soul

[canazar]

Wow, that is a bummer.   Just this morning I was reading the opening pages of the 07' Walther's book.  Has a great timeline that has to do with trains and our hobby.   I got a kick how tight the Wlther's family seemed and being able to pass it down to generations must be nice way to do things. 

 I give them  Well Wishes..  Always sad to have your family pass on.

[Anonymous]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bruce Walthers Passes on January 28, 2007

It is with great sadness that I must tell you that my Father, Bruce Walthers,
Chairman of Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. passed away on Sunday morning.

His leadership, insights, and wisdom will be sorely missed.


J Philip Walthers
President, Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.




In Memoriam   Bruce J. Walthers, 1919-2007

Bruce J. Walthers was born in Plymouth, Wisconsin, on September 9, 1919 and left
this world at his home in Solana Beach, California, on January 28, 2007, after a
valiant battle with multiple cancers.  He was preceded in death by his dear wife
Barbara (nee, Banach) in 1991. Survived by loving wife and caregiver Marcia
(nee, Obloy), six children of Bruce and Barbara:  Bruce (Pat), Joanne Barsanti
(John), J. Philip (Carole), Peter (Cathy), Judith, and Thomas (Jeanette), 13
grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.  Also survived by a brother William
(Geri), and sister Peggy Hooper (Jim). A sister, Dorothy Mae Bellew, died
several years ago.

Bruce was actively involved in many different industry, civic and church groups,
often serving as their diligent and hard-working President.  A graduate of South
Division High School, Milwaukee, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Bruce
served in the Navy during WWII as a meteorologist on Kwajelein Atoll in the
South Pacific.  After active duty, he continued to serve in the Navy Reserves at
the Glenview Air Station achieving the rank of Commander.

Bruce s civilian career spanned 60 years at Wm. K. Walthers, Inc., a
manufacturer of model railroad equipment founded by his father in 1932.  He
became President in 1958 and under his leadership the company became the largest
distributor of model railroad products in the world.  He successfully
transferred the family business to the third generation in 1984, remaining
active as Chairman of the Board of Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. to the present.  He was
a Board member and served as President of both the Model Railroad Industry
Association and the Hobby Industry Association of America (HIAA).  The HIAA
awarded him their highest honors, the Meritorious Award of Honor and Lifetime
Membership in recognition of his many years of service and significant
contributions to the industry.

Bruce was a lifelong learner and mentor to others.  Early in his business life
he overcame a fear of public speaking by completing the Dale Carnegie training
course. He used his new skills to help others do the same, both as a Dale
Carnegie volunteer leader and later as an alumnus of the program.  As a member
of the HIAA Board, Bruce was often designated at the national meetings to
interact on behalf of the association with the celebrity performing that year.
He had fond memories of sparring on stage with Joan Rivers, Mel Torme, Bill
Cosby, George Burns, Joel Grey, Alan King, Julie Budd, Vic Damone, and Billy
Crystal.  As the President of the Milwaukee chapter of the Council of
Independent Managers and Organizer and President of the National Council of
Independent Managers, he helped to strengthen the expertise of countless small
business owners.  A community leader, he served as a Board member of Cardinal
Stritch University and Board member and President of St. Anthony s Hospital.

In retirement, Bruce was a frequent traveler, and participated in numerous
Elderhostel programs.  He stayed active by bicycling, researching family
genealogy and serving as Board member and President of condominium associations
in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, and Solana Beach, California.  He was a founding
member of Holy Family Parish in Whitefish Bay, served as President of the Holy
Name Society and was a Parish and Regional Chair of the Catholic Family
Movement.  At St. James Parish in Solana Beach, he was actively involved as an
Associate of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary (the Eudist Community), a Lector
at Sunday Mass, and facilitator of a Small Church Community Group.

Memorial liturgies will be held at St. James Parish in Solana Beach, California,
and Holy Family Parish in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin.  Funeral arrangements are
being made through Greenwood Mortuary, 4300 Imperial Ave., San Diego, CA 92112.
In lieu of flowers, the Walthers family would appreciate any donations that are
made in Bruce s honor to go to St. James Catholic Church (Solana Beach, CA),
Holy Family Catholic Church (Whitefish Bay, WI) or the Eudist Community (The
Congregation of Jesus and Mary).