Fobes, Walter Peacefully surrounded by his family, on June 25, 2024. Walter was born in 1929 in Cologne, Germany. Soon after the end of World War II, Walter and his best friend from school decided to have penpals in the UK, one of whom had a friend in Wales, Sheila Morris, who became his wife of almost 60 years. Walter and Sheila left Europe arriving in Ottawa in 1952 "with four dollars in his pocket." His first job was working on a pig farm in the Pontiac. He then got a job at the poultry division of the experimental farm. Eventually, he landed a position at the Dominion Bureau of Statistics working in the Agricultural Statistics section. Meanwhile, Sheila, started teaching grade school. While working full-time, taking care of his farm animals and his children, Walter completed his B.A. and M.A. in Economics and was accepted into the Ph.D. program at London School of Economics. After completing his Ph.D, Walter settled on a farm in North Russell where he raised purebred Herefords and taught at St. Patrick's College and Carleton University. He then received a tenure track teaching position at the newly formed University of Prince Edward Island. So the family moved to PEI and settled in Marshfield where Walter raised sheep, chickens, and geese and a large garden while promoting agricultural economics on the Island and abroad. Walter was devoted to his wife and family. He is survived by six children, Marion, Peter (Kerstin Meyer), Elizabeth (Ron Gentle), Caroline (Jerome Magnet), Martin (Laurie MacLean) and Edward (Taeko); his sisters, Lucia (Klaus Putz), Rita (Leo Werr), and Margaret (Jorg Schneider); sister-in-law, Margaret Simons, nieces and nephews, 17 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Predeceased by his wife, Sheila; infant son, Michael; and his parents, Heinrich and Hubertina. Funeral mass to take place at St. Patricks Basilica, Kent Street, Ottawa on August 17, 2024 at 11 a.m. The family would like to thank the staff at the Lord Lansdowne retirement residence, where Walter lived his final years, especially the loving caregivers on the third floor. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario or the Upper Room in Charlottetown would be appreciated. https://www.arbormemorial.ca/en/kelly-somerset.html
Walter FOBES — Ottawa
