November 1925 - December, 2010
Walter Holmes Worth passed away peacefully in the Palliative Care Unit of Nanaimo Regional General Hospital on Friday, December 24. Wally was born in Regina, Saskatchewan. His family moved to Edmonton when he was 6 years old, where he lived until retiring to Nanaimo in 1996. He served in the Canadian Army, and following
the end of the war he completed his B. Ed. and M. ED. at the University of Alberta. He later went on to receive his doctorate from the University of Illinois.
Wally was first and foremost an educator. Very early in his working life, his talent for organization and administration was recognized and he was soon taking on a variety of leadership roles. He began his career as an elementary school teacher with the Edmonton Public School Board. After deciding to further his education, Wally became the youngest School Superintendent ever appointed to the Alberta Department of Education. He was then invited to join the Faculty of Education at the University of
Alberta. He taught in the Department of Elementary
Education and the Department of Educational
Administration. Appointments as the Chairman of the Department of Elementary Education, the
Associate Dean of the Faculty, and the Vice President of the University followed. Wally was approached by the Government of Alberta to chair a Commission
that produced the Worth Commission Report on Educational Planning- “A Choice of Futures”. He then worked in government as the Deputy Minister
of Advanced Education for a number of years. Wally left government and returned to the University as Dean of the Faculty of Education. Following his retirement as Dean, he returned to the Department of Educational Administration to write and teach. At the request of the new Dean, Wally became Acting Chair of Educational Administration before retiring in 1988. He remained active in retirement: serving as Chair of the province’s Private Colleges
Accreditation Board and as a member of the Alberta Government’s Electoral Boundaries Commission. He continued to be a valuable resource for a variety of teacher’s groups. Wally’s contributions to education
in Alberta were recognized when the University of Alberta bestowed upon him an Honorary Doctorate for outstanding service as a teacher, scholar and administrator to the province and the University.
Wally and Joan enjoyed life in Nanaimo: living on the water in downtown; using the Harbourfront Walkway; the Newcomer’s Club; curling, golfing, playing bridge and travelling extensively. Wally also chaired the first Strata Council at the Beacon on Cameron Island for two years.
Wally leaves to mourn his wife and best friend, Joan; his daughters Dr. Michelle Worth (Prince George) and Susan (Edmonton); his brother Ted (Leona) Edmonton,AB; his brother-in-law Don Tronsgard (Susan) St. Albert, AB; nephews Derek (Alia Begisheva) Frankfurt, Germany; Bryan
(Cinthia Wilson) Edmonton; niece Kirsten (Edmonton);
grandnephew and grandniece Aaron and Marina (St. Albert); grandnephews Liam and Lars (Frankfurt, Germany); nieces Pat Worth Hartl (Bob)Langley, BC and Elaine Worth (Jeff) McLenaghen Red Deer, AB.
We have lost a warm, gentle and kind man - a true gentleman. Wally was a man devoted to his wife and to his daughters, a love he shared with his extended family. We will remember his wit, his delightful sense of humor and his common sense as well as his wonderful smile which made his eyes sparkle, and his funny little grin when he thought he’d been mischievous. We will sorely miss him.
We thank Wally’s best friend, bridge and golf partner, and most faithful visitor, Ken Martin. We are grateful to Dr. Robin Love for years of caring for and about Wally, and also thank the staff on 2EF at Nanaimo Seniors Village multi level care facility for 11 months of personal care for Wally and concern for Joan, and the Palliative Care Unit of Nanaimo Regional General Hospital - Carol, Jennie, Angela.
It was Wally’s wish that his body be donated to the Faculty of Medicine, UBC.
A Celebration of Wally”s Life will be held on Sunday Jan. 2, 2:00 - 4:00 at the Nanaimo Golf Club, 2800 Highland Blvd. Nanaimo.
If you wish, donations in Wally’s name may be made to the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital , Attention Palliative Care Unit. 1200 Dufferin Crescent, Nanaimo BC. V9S 2B7.