Walter (Wally) Arthur Zillman

With family by his side, with great sorrow we announce the passing of our partner, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Wally on Sunday, January 26, 2025 at East Gate Lodge Personal Care Home in Beausejour, MB.

Wally will be lovingly remembered by his partner Brenda Girouard, children Rick (Connie), Paul (Corinne), Sheila (Matt), and Shirley (Rob); grandchildren Kristin, Cary (Rhea), Jenn (Craig), Eric, Jesse (Charis), Lindsay (Brendan), Jamie (Matt), Clinton (Katrina), and Tori (Adam); great grandchildren Jade, Juliet, Heinrich, Alexander, Malachi, Eliza, Henry, and Lincoln; brothers Richard, Waterloo, ON, Rodney (Anna), Calgary, AB; nieces and nephews; stepchildren Brian (Darlene), Jenny and Tanya; step-grandchildren Brody (Hannah), Breanne (Dayton) and Dylan; sister in-law Mary Zillman.

Wally was predeceased by his wife of 58 years Rilla (Brown); parents Paul Frank and Ella Martha Zillman (nee Seidel); siblings Donald, Helen Fennel (Don), Marion Woolner (Ken), and Gherhard.

Wally grew up with his siblings in Waterloo, ON, where his work ethic was established at a young age and continued throughout his life. Starting out as a paperboy, doing errands, working in a furniture factory in Waterloo. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (R.C.A.F.) on January 17, 1948 as a firefighter. This is where he met his wife Rilla who was also in the R.C.A.F. Together they had postings in Ontario, Quebec, 4 years in France, and Manitoba. He completed his Service in Ottawa and was Honorably Released on April 19, 1971 from R.C.A.F.

Wally and Rilla then chose Beausejour as their permanent residence to raise their family.

Wally lived in active, busy life with this work and volunteering but also finding the time doing things he loved; travelling, curling, dart playing, cribbage, woodworking, gardening, camping, and many happy years with family and friends was spent at their cottage at Pinawa Bay, on the Lee River, and sharing a good glass of beer with friends.

Comrade Zillman has been an active member of The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 132, Beausejour since 1984. His roles included, but were not limited to: Branch President, member of the Branch Executive serving in various positions including Branch Chairman, Poppy Chairman, Remembrance Day Services, selling and supervising ticket sales at the Friday night suppers, handyman in the clubhouse, and clean up after Thursday night Bingo. Also, he volunteered as a Dorm Dean at the Royal Canadian Legion Athletic Camp from 1997 to 2007.

He took great pride in his skill as a dart player and cribbage player. Over the years he and Rilla won several trophies playing in the Legion Cribbage Tournaments. In 2023, Branch 132 honored Wally by naming the spring tournament “The Wally Zillman Spring Cribbage Tournament”. In 2010 he was honored to receive his Lifetime Membership by Branch 132.

Wally was very active with volunteering in the community with numerous organizations; Beausejour Consumers Co-op Board of Directors, Sunrise School Board, Beausejour Curling Club, Director of the Beausejour Crime Stoppers and Instructor for the Manitoba Hunter Safety Course, driving patients to Winnipeg for treatment at CancerCare Manitoba. Also, many hours were spent with friends at Beau-Head Senior Center in Beausejour, participating in bus tours, socializing, and playing cribbage.

Wally’s legacy will live on with the love he showed to his family and the friendships he gave freely to others. He was a man of integrity, respect, loyal, humble, and peaceful. You were my friend and my partner; I will forever miss you. Thank you for your Service. RIP Love Brenda and family.

Brenda and family want to send a special, heartfelt thank you to Dr. Joseph Partyka and staff at Beausejour Hospital for providing healthcare, support and compassion over the years.

A special thank you to the homecare staff who came to our home for several years from Home Care in the community; a special thank you to staff at Betel Personal Care Home, Wing 1, Selkirk and Dr. Nick Van Rensburg and staff at East Gate Lodge Personal Care Home, Shamrock Unit, Beausejour for treating him with compassion, friendship, respect, dignity, and kindness. You are all special caregivers.

To honor Wally, a ‘Celebration of his Life’ will be held on Wednesday, February 26 at 2:00 p.m. at The Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 132, 300 Veterans Lane, Beausejour.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 132, Beausejour, Diabetic Association or Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Wally will be laid to rest beside his wife Rilla in the spring, Veteran’s Section Town Cemetery.

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