Cleric, community activist.
Born at Winnipeg around 1924, son of George and Effie Walmsley, he was raised at London, England. During the Second World War, he served in the British Army, from 1940 to 1946, and was a member of the Highland Light Infantry, the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers, the Royal Fuseliers (City of London Regiment) and the MI-6. Returning to Canada he attended United College and became an ordained minister of the United Church of Canada. He served in parishes throughout rural Manitoba until becoming Chaplain at the Manitoba School for the Mentally Retarded at Portage la Prairie. While there he received awards and accolades for his teaching, curriculum development, and editing of an international journal on mental retardation. He was also a member of the Royal Society of Health.
He was a founding member of the Virden Dramatic Society, Prairie Players of Portage la Prairie, and he and his wife formed their own production company “Candlelight Productions.” He received two Canadian Playwright awards, served on the Board of Directors of the Canada Arts Council (the Dominion Drama Festival), and he taught theatre courses. In 1977, he was instrumental in forming the Portage Arts Council. In recognition of his community service, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal.
He died at Portage la Prairie on 28 October 2003.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 30 October 2003, page 31.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 10 October 2016
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