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Bruce Walthers Passes on
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><br />Bruce Walthers Passes on January 28, 2007<br /><br />It is with great sadness that I must tell you that my Father, Bruce Walthers,<br />Chairman of Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. passed away on Sunday morning.<br /><br />His leadership, insights, and wisdom will be sorely missed.<br /><br /><br />J Philip Walthers<br />President, Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />In Memoriam Bruce J. Walthers, 1919-2007<br /><br />Bruce J. Walthers was born in Plymouth, Wisconsin, on September 9, 1919 and left<br />this world at his home in Solana Beach, California, on January 28, 2007, after a<br />valiant battle with multiple cancers. He was preceded in death by his dear wife<br />Barbara (nee, Banach) in 1991. Survived by loving wife and caregiver Marcia<br />(nee, Obloy), six children of Bruce and Barbara: Bruce (Pat), Joanne Barsanti<br />(John), J. Philip (Carole), Peter (Cathy), Judith, and Thomas (Jeanette), 13<br />grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Also survived by a brother William<br />(Geri), and sister Peggy Hooper (Jim). A sister, Dorothy Mae Bellew, died<br />several years ago.<br /><br />Bruce was actively involved in many different industry, civic and church groups,<br />often serving as their diligent and hard-working President. A graduate of South<br />Division High School, Milwaukee, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Bruce<br />served in the Navy during WWII as a meteorologist on Kwajelein Atoll in the<br />South Pacific. After active duty, he continued to serve in the Navy Reserves at<br />the Glenview Air Station achieving the rank of Commander.<br /><br />Bruce s civilian career spanned 60 years at Wm. K. Walthers, Inc., a<br />manufacturer of model railroad equipment founded by his father in 1932. He<br />became President in 1958 and under his leadership the company became the largest<br />distributor of model railroad products in the world. He successfully<br />transferred the family business to the third generation in 1984, remaining<br />active as Chairman of the Board of Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. to the present. He was<br />a Board member and served as President of both the Model Railroad Industry<br />Association and the Hobby Industry Association of America (HIAA). The HIAA<br />awarded him their highest honors, the Meritorious Award of Honor and Lifetime<br />Membership in recognition of his many years of service and significant<br />contributions to the industry.<br /><br />Bruce was a lifelong learner and mentor to others. Early in his business life<br />he overcame a fear of public speaking by completing the Dale Carnegie training<br />course. He used his new skills to help others do the same, both as a Dale<br />Carnegie volunteer leader and later as an alumnus of the program. As a member<br />of the HIAA Board, Bruce was often designated at the national meetings to<br />interact on behalf of the association with the celebrity performing that year. <br />He had fond memories of sparring on stage with Joan Rivers, Mel Torme, Bill<br />Cosby, George Burns, Joel Grey, Alan King, Julie Budd, Vic Damone, and Billy<br />Crystal. As the President of the Milwaukee chapter of the Council of<br />Independent Managers and Organizer and President of the National Council of<br />Independent Managers, he helped to strengthen the expertise of countless small<br />business owners. A community leader, he served as a Board member of Cardinal<br />Stritch University and Board member and President of St. Anthony s Hospital.<br /><br />In retirement, Bruce was a frequent traveler, and participated in numerous<br />Elderhostel programs. He stayed active by bicycling, researching family<br />genealogy and serving as Board member and President of condominium associations<br />in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, and Solana Beach, California. He was a founding<br />member of Holy Family Parish in Whitefish Bay, served as President of the Holy<br />Name Society and was a Parish and Regional Chair of the Catholic Family<br />Movement. At St. James Parish in Solana Beach, he was actively involved as an<br />Associate of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary (the Eudist Community), a Lector<br />at Sunday Mass, and facilitator of a Small Church Community Group.<br /><br />Memorial liturgies will be held at St. James Parish in Solana Beach, California,<br />and Holy Family Parish in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. Funeral arrangements are<br />being made through Greenwood Mortuary, 4300 Imperial Ave., San Diego, CA 92112. <br />In lieu of flowers, the Walthers family would appreciate any donations that are<br />made in Bruce s honor to go to St. James Catholic Church (Solana Beach, CA),<br />Holy Family Catholic Church (Whitefish Bay, WI) or the Eudist Community (The<br />Congregation of Jesus and Mary).
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