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DR. WALTER WILLBORN
Born: Mar 21, 1923
Date of Passing: Jul 20, 2014
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryDR. WALTER WILLBORN March 21, 1923 - July 20, 2014 On July 20, 2014, at the age of 91, Dr. Walter Willborn, a teacher and student to his last days, passed gracefully from this life. Left saddened, but with many happy moments to celebrate are his loving and devoted wife of nearly 60 years, Vera, his children, Sabina (Allen Wall), Annette (George Amabile), Marlaine (Blaine Timlick) and Harold (Nancy), and his grandchildren, Evan Amabile, Lauren and Cale Timlick, and Otto and Dashell Willborn. He also leaves many relatives in Germany, including his brothers Horst (Charlotte), Erich and Rudolph (Anneliese), as well as sister-in-law Helga (Wilfrid) Lüth and brother-in-law Detlef (Helga) Michaelsen. He was predeceased by his parents, Luise in 1946 and Walter in 1954 as well as his sister-in-law Ingried in 2006. Walter was born in Hamburg, Germany on March 21, 1923 just 16 and a half months after his brother Horst. In 1939 he began his apprenticeship at the prestigious Hotel Atlantic in Hamburg. His misadventures at that hotel provided many stories in later years. In 1941 he joined the German paratroop division and served until March 1945 when he was wounded on the Russian front and, after a dramatic rescue by Dr. Karl Hugo Krüger, sent home. After the war, he rejoined the staff at the Hotel Atlantic - now under management by the British military - as an accountant. He often said the compassionate treatment he received from the British during this time impressed him and influenced his view of the wider world. To build a better future, Walter took night classes completing his high school, and then earned his Diploma Volkswirt (Bachelor of Economics) at the University of Hamburg. In 1951, after noticing her lively spirit during a ski trip, he asked Vera Michaelsen to check coats at an event. By the end of the evening they both knew they were meant for each other. Walter and Vera married in 1954 and, through this steady partnership, drew on each other's strength for the next 60 years and achieved many of their dreams. In 1958 Walter and Vera immigrated to Canada with three year old Sabina and Annette on the way. They were embraced as family and introduced to the love of cottage life by Walter's wartime rescuer, Karl Hugo, his wife Eva and their family in Steinbach. Soon Walter found a small apartment for his family and a teaching position at Tech-Voc High School in Winnipeg. In the following years, two more children were born - Marlaine in 1960 and Harold in 1965 - and Walter joined the School of Commerce at the University of Manitoba in 1964. He earned his Master of Arts in Economics in 1961 and his Bachelor of Education in 1963 at the University of Manitoba as well as his Doctorate of Sociology and Economics at the University of Innsbruck on July 21, 1971. His professorship in Production Management continued until his retirement in 1991. In his specialized field of Quality Assurance Management he found his passion and published a steady stream of books and papers. He was internationally active in standardization and auditing quality assurance systems and a Fellow of the American Society for Quality. In 1969, Walter and Vera purchased a cottage on an island on the Lake of the Woods which remains a treasured place for the whole family. In his retirement, he travelled extensively with Vera, spent every moment he could at the cottage and worked on his project, QuoLi (Quality of Life), which applied the principles of Quality Assurance to personal life. Throughout his life, Walter was curious about the world and loved to initiate provocative discussions. The length and good quality of his life were, in great part, due to his dedication to daily routine and personal discipline. Never underestimate the power of a morning shave and exercise! He had a mischievous sense of humour, found pleasure and comfort in nature and its cycles and enjoyed telling and re-telling stories of his adventures. Through these stories and the ones we will tell of him, his presence will be felt by generations yet to be born. The family would like to thank the staff of A4 South at the St. Boniface Hospital for their compassionate and professional care in his final days. Our thanks are also extended to Dr. Michele Evans for the excellent care she's given over the years and the staff at The Waverley for their kind consideration. A memorial service will be held on Monday, August 25, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at the Epiphany Lutheran Church, 200 Dalhousie Drive in Winnipeg. Family and friends wishing may sign a book of condolence at www.glenlawn.ca.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 16, 2014
Condolences & Memories (5 entries)
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I took a night course at U of M that was based on Dr Willborn's textbook Quality Assurance Management. Then later at Western Engine I had the good fortine of meeting Dr Willborn in person as he was hired by company management to do an introductory lecture on quality management to kick off our quality program. His presentation was very informative, very inspiring, and very professional. I regret to this day that Dr Willborn was not hired to lead our steering committee. I believe that with his guidance, the end result would have been achieved much faster and much better. God Bless You, Dr Walter Willborn, Bill Penny - Posted by: Bill Penny (Student) on: Jul 23, 2024
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At times like these, I find it difficult to find to words to express my feelings. I was saddened to learn of Walter's passing. Over the years, I went from a student in Walter's Quality class in the fall of 1980, to colleague and friend. Walter was my first formal introduction to quality and in later years a mentor whom I continued to learn from, apply and transfer that knowledge to others. In reading about Walter’s life, I continue to learn from him. I have a better understanding of his commitment, his service to others, his persistent dedication to the culture of quality and, its potential to our quality of life through unity and direction to life’s perpetual chaos. I am aware that he helped many without their knowledge. Walter was very humble about his accomplishments but his efforts locally, regionally, nationally and internationally leaves a considerable legacy. On behalf of the Chair and the Executive of ASQ Manitoba and, ASQ Canada, please accept our sincere condolences. Barry W. Colby, ASQ Fellow Ambassador and Quality Advocate ASQ Canada - Posted by: Barry W. Colby (Colleague) on: Aug 29, 2014
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Walter was a colleague of mine for many years at the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba. Walter was truly an outstanding scholar. I think he made incredibly significant contributions to the field of quality assurance. However, equally important to me was his honesty, decency and courage. Walter stood up for what was right, even if the odds were stacked against him. I will miss him. He was a wonderful man. - Posted by: Earl Rosenbloom (Colleague) on: Aug 23, 2014
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I first met Dr. Walter Willborn in 1978 when I took his course on Project Management at the University of Manitoba. This course and Professor Willborn’s subsequent advisory role during my graduate studies program set firm in my mind his critical systems analysis approach to problem solving that was to serve me so well during my entire career. A number of years later, I was privileged to work with Walter on projects involving the transfer of quality assurance management techniques to local industry: while many may talk and write of the theory of transferring university knowledge to the private sector, Walter was a master of achieving this in reality with practical results. My entire family then became fast friends with Walter and his wife Vera, and spent many enjoyable times at our homes and at the Willborn’s wonderful island cottage retreat. Our families, together with some other friends, took one memorable vacation trip to China and had many adventures at locations such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City and cross country train journeys. Walter had always lived life large, and his personal firsthand accounts of great personalities and events of the 20th century that one can normally only read about or see in movies never ceased to amaze us all. I have lost a true and tried friend in Walter Willborn, but I will never forget him... - Posted by: Ronald D. Humble (Friend) on: Aug 20, 2014
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Vera, we too were saddened to hear of Walter's passing and wish to extend our condolences to you. Dale remembers well working with the 'Epiphany Stars' and we both recall a wonderful evening spent with the two of you when many fascinating stories were shared. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Much love, Dale and Diane Trueman - Posted by: Diane Trueman (Friend) on: Aug 16, 2014