1928
Wallace
2012
Wallace "Wally" L. Ahlborn
May 5, 1928 — March 17, 2012
Munising
Wallace (Wally) Louis Ahlborn passed away at his home in Munising on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at the age of 83. Wally was born on May 5, 1928 in Hammond, Indiana, to Gertrude and Louis Ahlborn. In 1945, Wally joined the Army Air Corp and was stationed in Fairbanks and Shemya, Alaska, where he was assigned to the weather corps and attained the rank of Sergeant. Upon his honorable discharge, Wally moved to Chicago and enrolled in the Ray Vogue School of Art, studying calligraphy. While there, he met his future bride, Jane Webber. Less than a year later they married and lived in Hammond for a short time. After the birth of their first child, they moved to Munising (Jane's home town) where they lived on Varnum Street, the "Stucco Building", then Diaper Alley and finally settling in and raising their four children at the top of Cemetery Hill. Everyone knew Wally as "Scoop" when he became a reporter for the Munising News, then news director for radio station WMAB. In 1963 he also worked as a reporter for WDBC in Escanaba while working full-time as an insurance agent for Metropolitan Life. Wally and Jane were very active in the National Foundation (March of Dimes) and in 1968 Wally was promoted to Michigan field rep for the March of Dimes and the family relocated to Grand Rapids. In 1970, Wally was again promoted and became the field rep for the Wisconsin chapter of the March of Dimes and the family moved to Madison, Wisconsin. During the early 1980's he became the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Chapter, National Kidney Foundation, a position he held until retiring from the NKF in 1995. While in Madison, he promoted and ran many large art & craft shows in the Wisconsin and northern Illinois areas with virtually all weekends spent with Jane, exhibiting her nationally acclaimed art work. In 1995, Wally & Jane came back to Munising and built a home near Wetmore. He returned to the Munising News again, becoming well-known for the reprise of his column "Once More Through Town". Wally enjoyed working at 'The News' until retiring in 2009. He was active in the Munising Presbyterian Church as an Elder, and served as a Munising Township Trustee. Wally's daily visits to town brought joy and laughter to him and to everyone he met. He leaves behind innumerable friends, and will always be remembered and loved for his sense of humor and love of life. The hours spent at the 'Patch' and the folks there were some of his favorite memories.
He is preceded in death by Jane, his loving bride of 56 years. Wally is survived by his four children: Fred (Beth) of Magness, AR; Greg (Ceri) of Wittman, AZ; Diane of Munising; and Tim of St. Ignace. Grand children Heidi, Jennifer, Shawn, and Joshua. Great grandchildren Ivory and Zoee.
Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, 2012 at the Bowerman Funeral Home. Pastor Jim Ramelis will conduct Wally's memorial service at 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery, where The American Legion and Vietnam Veterans of America Honor Guard will conduct military honors. A remembrance reception will be held at the American Legion following the services. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in Wally's name to the Alger County Historical Society or the Alger County Humane Society.
Wallace (Wally) Louis Ahlborn passed away at his home in Munising on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at the age of 83. Wally was born on May 5, 1928 in Hammond, Indiana, to Gertrude and Louis Ahlborn. In 1945, Wally joined the Army Air Corp and was stationed in Fairbanks and Shemya, Alaska, where he was assigned to the weather corps and attained the rank of Sergeant. Upon his honorable discharge, Wally moved to Chicago and enrolled in the Ray Vogue School of Art, studying calligraphy. While there, he met his future bride, Jane Webber. Less than a year later they married and lived in Hammond for a short time. After the birth of their first child, they moved to Munising (Jane's home town) where they lived on Varnum Street, the "Stucco Building", then Diaper Alley and finally settling in and raising their four children at the top of Cemetery Hill. Everyone knew Wally as "Scoop" when he became a reporter for the Munising News, then news director for radio station WMAB. In 1963 he also worked as a reporter for WDBC in Escanaba while working full-time as an insurance agent for Metropolitan Life. Wally and Jane were very active in the National Foundation (March of Dimes) and in 1968 Wally was promoted to Michigan field rep for the March of Dimes and the family relocated to Grand Rapids. In 1970, Wally was again promoted and became the field rep for the Wisconsin chapter of the March of Dimes and the family moved to Madison, Wisconsin. During the early 1980's he became the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Chapter, National Kidney Foundation, a position he held until retiring from the NKF in 1995. While in Madison, he promoted and ran many large art & craft shows in the Wisconsin and northern Illinois areas with virtually all weekends spent with Jane, exhibiting her nationally acclaimed art work. In 1995, Wally & Jane came back to Munising and built a home near Wetmore. He returned to the Munising News again, becoming well-known for the reprise of his column "Once More Through Town". Wally enjoyed working at 'The News' until retiring in 2009. He was active in the Munising Presbyterian Church as an Elder, and served as a Munising Township Trustee. Wally's daily visits to town brought joy and laughter to him and to everyone he met. He leaves behind innumerable friends, and will always be remembered and loved for his sense of humor and love of life. The hours spent at the 'Patch' and the folks there were some of his favorite memories.
He is preceded in death by Jane, his loving bride of 56 years. Wally is survived by his four children: Fred (Beth) of Magness, AR; Greg (Ceri) of Wittman, AZ; Diane of Munising; and Tim of St. Ignace. Grand children Heidi, Jennifer, Shawn, and Joshua. Great grandchildren Ivory and Zoee.
Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, 2012 at the Bowerman Funeral Home. Pastor Jim Ramelis will conduct Wally's memorial service at 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery, where The American Legion and Vietnam Veterans of America Honor Guard will conduct military honors. A remembrance reception will be held at the American Legion following the services. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in Wally's name to the Alger County Historical Society or the Alger County Humane Society.
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