Deceased W (15)
Deceased A B C D E F G H I-J K L M N-O P-Q R S T-V W Y-Z

He was a retired U.S. Army department director of intelligence and security.  He was a brother of Sigma Chi. Survivors: Wife, Marlene; son.

From Winter 2009 Alumni Bulletin:  In mid‑2008, I received a call from Bill Carson '51 telling me that one of his Sigma Chi brothers, John W Walker, had passed away.

The more I researched John, the more remarkable I found his life.  Born in New Jersey, he lived on the Jersey shore for many years before moving to Versailles, Ky.  After Lehigh, he received a master's degree from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland.  His career path included Transcontinental Gas and the Institute of Exploratory Research in Fort Monmouth, N.J.  He published more than 100 papers on the geophysics of the Earth.  From there, he took over management of the U.S. Army Arctic Research Program, where his team developed the first computerized airborne ice‑depth measurement system.  Advanced versions are being used today to monitor climate change.  John also designed antenna systems vital to a nuclear alert system.  In 1975, he volunteered for service as a foreign intelligence officer and worked closely with the U.S. Customs, the FBI, and the Secret Service.  In retirement, John became an expert woodcarver of wildlife, ducks, birds, and fish; he received recognition for his work at several shows.  God bless you, John, you had a full life.

Gealy W. Wallwork, Indiana, PA, Dec. 31, 2020.  Mr. Wallwork was a Chi Phi brother, as well as a member of the Marching 97 and lacrosse team.  He worked for several mining and coal companies throughout his career.  He was a trustee of Indiana University of Pennsylvania for many years.   Summer 2021, Alumni Bulletin.

From Fall / Winter 2017 Alumni Bulletin:  As Ralph Fortney said during the festivities: "We may not have had quantity, but we sure had quality!"  Gealy Wallwork joined 12 other '52 Classmates at our 65th Reunion - See Fall / Winter Alumni Bulletin for more details.

Winter 2012 Alumni Bulletin:  Gealy was in attendance at our 60th Reunion

From Fall/Winter 2022 Alumni Bulletin:  Paul S. Walton , Tucson, AZ, Apri110, 2022.  A veteran of the US Navy, Mr Walton retired from Arkla, Inc.  His brother, Harry Walton Jr., was a member of the Class of 1944.  December 2022

From Spring 2018 Alumni Bulletin:  Paul Walton celebrated his 90th birthday.  Congrats for getting so far, so fast!

From Fall / Winter 2016 Alumni Bulletin:  Paul Walton is 88-years old and says he has "slowed down a bit.”  Join the club, Paul!

Paul Walton writes:  In my case, no news is good news.   I’ve been retired for more than 20 years and make my year round home in Tucson, AZ, where the weather is usually on the warm side.  At 88, I've slowed down quite a bit but manage a couple nice trips each year. 

I've lost track of most of the '52 classmates and now that Pat Moran (deceased)  moved away I'm pretty much out of touch.  GO LEHIGH, BEAT LAFAYETTE.  All the best to you and all the remaining Class of '52 survivors,  Paul – November 2015

From Summer 2012 Alumni Bulletin:   Recently Daz and I were at the movies here in Tucson and bumped into Paul Walton and his wife, Edna.  They were celebrating Paul's 84th birthday.  Paul said he will be at my 11^th straight Lehigh‑Lafayette telecast party in November.

November 2011:  Still hanging in - on the right side of the grass.  Married 15 years to Edna.   Lost my first wife, Dessie, to cancer after 48 years.   Feel like I've been married most of my life but enjoying it.  Have five children, ten grandchildren and two great grandchildren; unfortunately they are spread all over the country.

Not doing as much traveling but did manage a trip to Branson, MO and to Minneapolis, MN this past summer.  I bumped into Pat Moran (deceased) at a shopping mall a few weeks ago and I expect to see him again this month for the Lehigh / Lafayette game.   Other than Pat I'm not in touch with any of my classmates.   I did look at the list of deceased and a couple more passed away that I used to know.

I'm still in pretty good health and stay busy with volunteer activity and church functions.   Otherwise not too much going on in my life.  I'll be glad when the 2012 elections are over.   I don't like either political party these days and am getting tired of all the petty bickering that is taking place in congress.  Oh well, such is life.

Good to hear from you and a big hi to all our classmates.  Paul

November 2006 - Hi Bill:  Not very much new to report.  I saw Pat Moran (deceased) at a sports bar in Tucson where we gathered to see the Lehigh / Lafayette football game last week.  Unfortunately the outcome wasn’t what we had hoped for.  I really felt old when I met a young couple from the classes of 2004 and 2005.  I never thought to write their names down and at this stage of my life, if I don’t write it I forget it.

My wife Edna and I still like to travel though we haven’t done as much since 911.  This coming year in May we will take in some shows in Branson, MO and in the fall we are planning to take a cruise out of Boston that goes up into Canada and maybe catch the leaves turning colors during our trip.

We still love our life in sunny Arizona.  The weather this time of year is magnificent; still shirtsleeve weather though we are anticipating some cooling off in the next couple of weeks.

Best wishes to you and to all of my classmates, Paul Walton

December 2005 -  I was a married student during my time at Lehigh.  My wife Dessie and I lived in the married student housing at Steel Field and that was a blast.  The walls were paper thin and you really got to know a lot about your neighbors; some of it funny, some of it not so good.

After graduation in 1952 I worked as a Mechanical Engineer for the following companies: (mostly in marketing and sales)

•  Carbide and Carbon Chemicals, Oak Ridge, TN

•  United Fruit Co., New York City, NY

•  Worthington Corp., East Orange, NJ

•  York Corp., York, PA

•  McQuay-Perfex Corp., Minneapolis, MN

•  Diversified Energy, Minneapolis, MN

I retired in 1992 but I kept working, on a consulting basis, until early in 1997.  During that period (1995) my wife of 48 years died of cancer.  This had a profound effect on my life.  I was lonely and after the grieving passed I started to date and eventually ended up marrying a lady I had previously met in Tucson, Arizona.  My daughter who lived in Tucson played cupid and encouraged the relationship.  She tells her friends that she actually got to choose her second mother.  My new wife is Edna and we are enjoying our life together to the fullest.  We travel quite a bit and are very much involved with our church.  My wife is Superintendent of the Sunday School and I am the church Treasurer.  This takes up a lot of our time.  We had a home built in Tucson, AZ and are permanent residents here.

This is all for now.  Eventually I will add some pictures to the profile.  My address is 4123 S. Apache Well Drive, Tucson, AZ 85730, phone 520-296-9827

I saw Pat Moran (deceased) recently at the Lehigh / Lafayette football telecast.  The game was a disappointment but it was enjoyable getting together with Pat and some of the other Lehigh folks; even the Lafayette crowd was fun to be with.

Not much of the information has changed.  Edna and I continue to travel and make one or two trips a year; mostly here in the states.  We were in the air flying to England when the 911 terrorist attack occurred and we haven’t ventured abroad since.  We did go to Hawaii and cruised the islands this year.  It was a great trip.  I hadn’t been to Hawaii since 1946 when I was in the navy and was billeted at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel for a few days.

We have a pretty good size family with five children, ten grandchildren and two great grandchildren.  A number of them are here in Arizona so we get to see them frequently.  We drove to Minnesota in October to see my sons and their families and while we were traveling we went to Springfield, IL and visited the new Lincoln Museum and Library.  It is fabulous.  In the six months they have been open they have logged in 500,000 visitors.  I’d recommend it to anyone.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a super New Year to follow,  Paul

Spring 2019 Alumni Bulletin:  Thomas C. Washburn, Glen Allen, Va., May 5, 2018.  Mr. Washburn was a Theta Chi brother.  He retired from BAE Systems.

James was a member of Delta Tau Delta.  A daughter survives.

Quarterback of most famous, undefeated, untied, Lehigh 1950 football team!

Herbert Weisser

From 50th Reunion Book, 2002 - ->

Herbert Weisser, 89, of Hasbrouck Heights passed away on Thursday, July 13, 2017.  Born in St. Georgen, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany to the late Albert and Emma Weisser.  Herbert was a 1946 graduate of Hasbrouck Heights High School and was later inducted into the Hasbrouck Heights Hall of Fame for academics and football.  He served in U.S. Marine Corps. from 1946-1948.  Herbert graduated from Lehigh University where he received his Bachelors Degree.

He was an electrical engineer for Beckman Instruments in Mountainside.  He was a member of the First Monday Club.  Beloved husband of the late Yvette M. (nee Allain) Weisser.  Devoted father of Yvette Scully and her husband Michael, Cheryl Taylor and her husband Bruce and Mark Weisser and Yris Menual.  Loving grandfather of Brittany Henderson and her husband Michael, Ryan Scully, Brian Taylor and his wife Laura, Cassidy Taylor, Dinaris and Zack Weisser.

Herbert Weisser '52, Hasbrouck Heights, N.J., July 13, 2017.  Mr. Weisser was an electrical engineer for Beckman Instruments.  His son, Mark Weisser, is a member of the Class of 1984.

Westfield, N.J., November 25, 2012.  While at Lehigh Mr. Wellen was a member of the Mustard & Cheese Society, as well as Tau Delta Phi.  After graduating he went on to work as the CEO for Business International, and then as the managing director for Bear Stearns and Co., Inc., in addition to serving on the Wall Street Council at Lehigh.

Spring 2006 - Norm sent his best and said that if our parents lived to 85, we should allow for inflation and live to 115.

Wil's Nephew, J Phillip Harris, reported that Wil died January 13th, 2008.

Wilmer Linwood Wilbern, 87, died Sunday, Jan. 13, 2008.

Mr. Wilbern was born on Feb. 14, 1920, at Blount Point in Warwick County, the son of Edwin V. and Benna Walters Wilbern.  He lived in Warwick County, now Newport News, for the first 27 years of his life.

During WWII he served in the Army Air Corps.  After his military service, he attended Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., and graduated with a degree in Industrial Engineering.  Following this, he began working for The Electro Metallurgical Co., a division of Union Carbide Corp., as a production engineer at Marietta, Ohio.

During the next 31 years, he served in a number of management assignments in the company's ferroalloys smelting plants at Marietta and Ashtabula, Ohio, and Sheffield, Ala., and for its successor company, Elkem Metals Co. in Niagara Falls and Christiansand, Norway.  He spent time on assignments for the company in Brazil, Germany, England, Canada and South Africa, and spoke five languages.

Beginning in 1966 he led a group in the successful development of the first application of the technology for computer control of large electric smelting furnaces for which a patent was granted in the U.S. and several other countries.  As a result of this development, he became known throughout the industrialized world as the father of process computer control of electric smelting furnaces and traveled extensively in the promotion and installation of the process.  In 1983, he retired from Elkem as manager of computer technology.

Mr. Wilbern was a charter member of the Optimist Club of Newport News and a charter member and Past Commander of Warwick Post 255 of the American Legion.  He was currently a trustee of the House Corporation of Beta Lambda chapter of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity at Lehigh University.  He was an ardent golfer and a gourmet cook.

He is survived by many nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18, in Peninsula Memorial Park with Dr. Thurman Hayes officiating.

I have been corresponding regularly with Wil for the past few years while he was at Morningside Assisted Living in Newport News, Virginia even though in recent months he was unable to respond.  However, my most recent letter was "returned to sender".  I called Morningside to inquire about Wil's status but all I could learn was that he no longer lived there. Apparently, "Privacy Acts" prevent them from divulging any information, therefore since I have no knowledge about his family, I don't know how to learn more.  I plan to contact Lehigh - perhaps they can give me info about a family member.  I'm really upset about it.  -  Ralph Fortney, May 2007

Summer 2007 Alumni Bulletin - I've been trying to reach Wil Wilbern through the telephone number I have on file, but without success.  If anyone in the class has spoken to him recently, please let me know.  I don't want to lose contact with him.

June 2004 - Ralph Fortney writes:  My wife and I visited Wil at Morningside Assisted Living in Newport News, VA while enroute to our Granddaughter's graduation from North Carolina State in Raleigh, NC.  Wil is doing as well as can be expected following a stroke which resulted in partial paralysis of his left side.  He is mentally alert but confined to a wheel chair which fortunately is powered so he gets around quite easily - but no drag racing in the corridors.  The Assisted Living environment is very nice and the Staff is friendly and helpful.  He's forever a Lehigh supporter and would like very much to hear from classmates.  I have contacted the Alumni Office and gave them Wil's current address which is:
          Morningside Assisted Living
          655 Denbigh Blvd.
          Newport News, VA 23608
          (757)890-0905

Gordon Maxson (deceased) updates us on Wil Wilbern's condition:  I stopped in to see Wil while I was in Virginia in February.  He now has a motorized wheelchair and had just gotten back from a shopping trip.  (No, he didn't ride the wheelchair to the stores.)  He still has considerable pain, but he felt there had been a slight improvement in the paralysis from the stroke.  I know he appreciates hearing from Lehigh folks. - March 2004

Gordon Maxson (deceased) updates us on Wil Wilbern's condition.  Gordon visited Will in Newport News in August.  Will looked great, but his left arm and leg are paralyzed.  He is getting around in a wheelchair and his spirits are high.  Good luck, Will, you are in our thoughts.  Will's phone number is (757) 833-1128 and cell (716) 628-6530. - Winter 2004 Alumni Bulletin

November 2003 - From Pat Moran (deceased) column - "In my last column, I mentioned that Wil Wilbern had suffered a stroke and was interested in some contact (and comfort) from his friends in the class.  I am glad to report that Bill Erdman, Ralph Fortney, Bill Smith (deceased), Bill Murray (deceased) and yours truly responded.  Wil sent a thank-you note to the class and said his therapy is ongoing, that he feels pretty good, and that he will come back full bore!  Good luck, Wil,"

From Gordon Maxson (deceased). August 2003: 
I stopped in to see Wil yesterday (Sunday the 3rd) at Morningside in Newport News.  He looked great, except for his left arm and left leg, which are pretty well paralyzed from the stroke.  I guess you could call it a mild stroke, since he has gotten his speech back very well, but it may take quite a time to rehabilitate the arm and leg. 

Wil does have quite a bit of pain, and is taking some pretty strong stuff.  Even with it, he was telling me that his leg feels like the bone is shattering.  Without the medicine, he says the pain is the worst you can imagine.

The assisted living home is very nice, and he has his room fixed up with his favorite artwork.  He is in Room 143, which may be a different room than when he first went there.  He has several pieces of his furniture and many of his cookbooks.  The computer is in place, but he hasn't gotten connected to the internet yet.  He will send a message when he gets on line.  (I think it was his grandnephew who went to Niagara Falls and brought all the nice things down.  He lives close by.)

Wil gets around quite well in his wheelchair using his right leg and right arm.  I know he will appreciate hearing from classmates.  Bob Heim lives in Williamsburg, and I think I'll give him a call and see if he will go by.  There are a couple others who live in Richmond. - Gordon Maxson (deceased)

(Repeat Summer 2003) Wil Wilbern, one of the really good guys in our class, called me in March telling me that he had a slight stroke, and that his left arm and hand were improving with therapy.  Wil would like to hear from his pals at (757) 833-1128, or write c/o Crestwood Health Care Center, 2600 Niagara Falls Blvd., Niagara Falls, NY 14304.

 July 2003, Pat Moran (deceased)  writes: Will has been transferred from Niagara Falls to a care facility in Newport News, Va.  He is confined to a wheelchair as he cannot walk-- but his spirits are high and he says he will walk again and see us all at a Lehigh football game. This is one brave guy!

Will's new address is WW c/o Morningside Assisted Living, 655 Denbigh Blvd, Newport News, Va. 23608 - Phone (757) 833-1128 Cell (716) 628-6530.  His computer is in Niagara Falls so we cannot E-mail him.  Will would love to hear from any and all in the Class.

Pat Moran (deceased)  writes:  Wil Wilbern phoned me yesterday to say that he suffered a small stroke in January but that he is regaining movement in his left hand and arm through therapy.  Wil particularly wanted to hear from his classmate friends at phone 716 731-1213 or write c/o Crestwood Health Care Center, 2600 Niagra Falls Blvd, Niagra Falls, N.Y. 14304.

From 50th Reunion Book, 2002 - Immediately after graduation, went to work as a metallurgist / production engineer for the Metals Division of Union Carbide Corp. at Marietta, OH.  In 1955, promoted to Asst. to Supt. - Titanium Plant at Ashtabula, OH and then to Asst. Supt. - Alloys Div. at the same location.  Appointed Asst. Plant Manager at Sheffield, AL in 1962.  Transferred to Niagara Falls, NY in 1963 as Long-Range Design Planning Engineer.  In 1966, developed the first application of closed loop computer control to the operation of large electric smelting furnaces in the world and patented the technology.  Over the next 17 years, installed computers in all Division plants in the U.S., Canada, Norway, South Africa, as well as several customer plants in Canada, Brazil, Norway and Tazmania.  Lived and worked in 6 different foreign countries and did business in 20 others from Russia to Zimbabwe and most of Europe.  Learned to speak 6 different languages.  In 1981, the UCC Division was sold to Elkem A/S of Norway; and I went to Norway to live and work for the year 1982.  Retired from consulting in 1988.  Delivered technical papers at 6 different annual Electric Furnace Conferences of the AIME in the U.S. and Brazil.  Won the Charles W. Briggs Award for the outstanding paper at the 1980 AIME conference.

James R. Wilson Jr. '52, Muncy Valley, Pa., Sept. 17, 2010.  He was the retired vice president and senior sales manager of the American BankNote Co.  He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of the Korean \Var.  He was a brother of Sigma Chi and a member of the track team.

William E. Wilson, Gloversville, N.Y., Sept. 11, 2015.  Mr. Wilson was a brother of Sigma Chi fraternity.  He served in the U.S. Army.  His grandson, Gregory W.  Bosch '06, is a Lehigh alumnus. - Winter 2015 Alumni Bulletin, March 2016

John M. Wright, Wilmington, DE, Sept. 14, 2021.  Mr. Wright was a Theta Xi brother.  He served in intelligence for the U.S. Army.  He worked as a chemical engine - Alumni Bulletin, Spring 2022