Wanted   Do you have a passion for antiques and collectibles - and writing?   The Wayback Times invites you to submit freelance articles for use in print and on our new web site.   E-mail your text submissions to The Wayback Times.   Articles published in The Wayback Times since 1995 have covered a wide range of interests, from Golliwoggs to toy VW collecting, and from collecting insulators to hunting old books.   Most authors of our online selection of articles have included their e-mail addresses and they are always delighted to hear from other collectors.

Ad Rates / Articles / Classified Ads / Editorial / Home / Links / Showtime   Della Walker 2008 obituary   List Della Walker Next   Della Walker, prolific antiques writer, dies at 70   Lyndhurst, Ontario - Della Walker, a frequent contributor to the Wayback Times, Auction Fever, Upper Canadian and other antique periodicals until Lou Gehrig's Disease robbed her of her joy for writing, has died from complications associated with ALS. She was 70.   The native of La Salle, Quebec, specialized in Ontario and Quebec country formal furniture and was influenced by Phil Shackleton who operated from Mannotick.   "All who came within her sphere were touched by her passion and enthusiasm for antiques, restoration and auctions," says Dennis W. Lowe, a friend in Ottawa.   "This is another sad event in the antiquing community," says Sandy Neilly, owner/publisher of the Wayback Times. "We never met, but what a lovely and interesting person she was to talk to on the telephone."   Della was a frequent Wayback Times contributor when former owner Jay Telfer was at the helm. Articles for Jay included antique furniture and Venetian glass.   Since Sandy Neilly took over the paper in the summer of 2006, Della's health slowed the pace to one article earlier this year.   "She wanted so badly to write for the paper but had so much trouble sitting at a computer," says Sandy. "She got in her last article with a lot of effort and she wouldn't take payment." You can read Della's most recent Wayback Times article by clicking here..In it, she reminisces about her early years in a rural Quebec hamlet and her fascination for antiques.   "She specialized in Ontario and Quebec country formal furniture and was influenced by Phil Shackleton who operated from Mannotick," says Dennis Lowe. "She had a passion and enthusiasm for antiques, restoration and auctions."   Lowe says Della quickly acquired an astute interest in antiques from her grandmother while being raised in Pontiac county. In the 1950s, she started by collecting Victorian artglass.   In the 1960s, while in Ottawa as a licensed mechanic she concentrated on restoring British sportscars, he says.   During the winter months, she also began to pick antiques from Quebec supplying Montreal/Ottawa auction houses and dealers through the 70s. During that time, she also volunteered restoring antiques at the old Lapierre Street barracks in Ottawa where she acquired the art of restoration.   Della opened her Lyndhurst Antique shop in Lyndhurst in 1989, travelling to Mexico, Egypt and Europe to expand her knowledge of antiques, which she shared with friends and fellow collectors in Canada and the U.S.   "She was a great friend of the late Ray Clark; an avid and well known collector and dealer from the Portland, Ontario," says Lowe.   Della is survived by her husband, George, daughter, Laura, two grandchildren and two great grandchildren.       Return to top of page   This Is Livin' Publishing © 2008 581 8th Line West, RR1 Hastings, ON, K0L 1Y0 Phone/Fax: 705-696-1833   webmaster