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I do not usually post notifications of deaths of Ex-M.L..A. Workmates on this site but recently a much loved and respected employee known by every M.L. worker as 'Wally' passed away at the age of  94 whilst would you believe getting ready to go to work.

Yes, Wally was still working on the M.L.A. Airfield site at that great age.

Walter {Wally} Stabler died 13 June 2022, 

Wally's funeral was held on Thursday 14 July at

Reading Cemetery & Crematorium.

Steve Ridgley, Oliver Burgess and Paul Middleton read out the following eulogies.

                                        Wally Stabler
Wally was Born on 12 th October 1927 in Westminster London – as a boy he attended William
Penn Junior School in Manor Park, Slough before beginning an apprenticeship as a Wireman
on the trading estate.
At the end of the war, Wally was conscripted and served in the RAF signals. He was posted
in Berlin for a number of years.
Unknown to most people Wally developed a keen interest in the “ART OF BOXING” “WHO
KNEW” he fought in the Light Weight Category and trained at the Boxing Gym on the trading
estate in Slough. We believe he was supported by the owner who gave him time off work to
practise. (Crafty)

                                         Steve Ridgley

Wally was one of 4 Children born to George & Ellen Stabler. He was the last of
that generation, but his Niece Ann and Nephews Daryl, Gary and their families
are here today to remember him.
The first time I met Wally was when Ray and I were preparing for the British
Fireworks Championships in 2001. He came along with Ray, who he had
worked with at ML for 30 years. Wally immediately produced his wire side
cutters, and with a cup of tea, started to make over 2000m of wiring looms,
each one beautifully tied and labelled.
I really got to know Wally when we took over the old ML Factory at White
Waltham. ML had moved out on a Thursday and we moved in the next day. I
arrived at 8am to find Wally sat in his car outside the gates. Wally had a big
smile and said 'Hello, I just thought I would help you move in'... He stayed with
us for the next 20 years.
Wally was 74 at that time, but you would never have guessed it. He literally
used to run around on site from building to building, always busy fixing
something with Ray, or repairing the dodgy site wiring.
Whenever we had a visitor Wally would appear from his workshop to offer
them a cup of tea, and if he took a shine to them a biscuit. Often announcing
himself as the apprentice tea maker with a chuckle.
He was far far more than that.....
We started a project to build electronic firing systems and when we took
delivery of the first prototype, Wally was the one to work out all the issues and
modifications required. He went on to build over 50 of them, which became
known as Wally's boxes, they are still in use today .
At the same time he taught me electronics and principles, which required a lot
of patience on Wally's part! Together, we went on to develop and build a plug
in long range wireless firing interface for the boxes.
Every show that we have carried out relied on Wally. He was in charge of
maintaining our firing systems, and every display manager; Ray and I included,

had to go to him to be issued with control gear and firing keys, always put in a
separate plastic sandwich bag for safe keeping.
His knowledge and abilities were really quite staggering, yet he always
remained understated and unassuming.
Wally very quickly became a friend and father figure to us both, and I think
many here relate to him in a similar way. Always good humoured, kind, never
judging and never ever with a bad word for anybody. Although, he did have a
healthy disdain for government and council officials.
People were really important to Wally and he loved to be in company. It was
often a joke with him, that he was so busy out visiting friends most evenings
that he had no time to do anything at home...
That was the thing with Wally, home was wherever people and friends were.
Every Saturday he had to leave at 12 to go over to Staines and see his lifelong
friend Ken and his family, then on Sunday he was off again to meet up with
Dave and his family.
Wally also had many very close friends in Spain. He had bought an apartment
in Xativa and would visit twice a year, spending time with them and their
families. He would sometimes go night sea fishing and occasionally spent
afternoons playing petanque. They were an important part of Wally's life and
Carlotta, who is Maribel's Daughter, is here today.
Wally had very many interests and hobbies from music, amateur film making
to model aircraft. Always pursued with a passion and desire for finesse, it had
to be done properly.
Wally also took pleasure from quite simple things in life, his immaculately
tended lawn and he loved a bonfire, which on occasion proved alarming!
Both Ray and I have an image etched of one such events where Wally was
having a bonfire at the factory. He inadvertently threw on a bag full of fuse
clippings, there was a giant whoosh and we both looked up to see Wally, arms
in the air silhouetted against a large orange fireball. He casually walked back
into the office and said nonchalantly, 'I've Scorched my Trousers', before

shuffling into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Fortunately he was not injured,
and bonfires were a little more controlled afterwards.
It is impossible to relay 20 years of memories in a few minutes. There really
are so many wonderful times and funny moments, that we have been so lucky
to have shared with Wally. I could easily spend a week talking about them.
I think that we have all in different ways been enriched by our time spent with
Him. He would not want any of us to be sad, and would be so humbled that we
are all here today to remember him. Like many of you Wally was not just our
friend, he was family, and his memory will remain fondly within us all.

                       Paul Middleton – Thoughts of Wally

I lived close to Wally's Home and used to travel to work at White Waltham with him every
day, Wally was always on time!
ML Aviation was bought out by the Cobham Group, and they started building a new modern
facility at Wimbourne to replace the Old White Waltham Site. With Wally's unparalleled
experience, He was engaged to offer advice and assistance with the test equipment. He
wired up some specialist Velocity Light boxes, something he had previously made for the
White Waltham Site and was renowned for.
As the new facility neared completion the owners were immensely proud of how it had
turned out, and wanted to name it after one of their senior members. The ML Aviation
employees were adamant that it should be named after a more appropriate figure. When
the directors were told about Wally Stabler they were flabbergasted by the sheer amount of
service and input over the years from him. It was decided: the plaque was created and
attached to the wall of the building with a curtain fitted ready for the unveiling.
Wally was invited to the ceremony on the 7 th January 2004, knowing nothing of what was to
occur. The Dorset Echo was there and a senior Cobham dignitary made the presentation. It
got to the point of Wally being mentioned by name. Where’s Wally? At the back of the room
of course not wanting to draw any attention.
The audience then parted from the front to reveal Wally. He very gingerly walked forward to
shake hands with the presenter and to large applause from the audience revealed the
Plaque . 'The Wally Stabler Test Facility'
We look at that plaque now, hanging in the Range office and everyone says wow,
unbelievable, we cannot imagine anyone coming close to his service record today. What a
fitting tribute getting a permanent remembrance for Wally.

                       Oliver Burgess- Thoughts of Wally

I first met Wally in the early nineties at the MLA Aviation at Ajax Avenue site in Slough. At
the time I was Operations Manager and Wally had just retired – even so, he did a full day’s
work always offering to do Homers – (which normally consist of repairing Radio, television
and other electrical goods) for all the lads. It was clear than Wally would never retire, he
loved to work, enjoyed the company of his colleagues and was always a part of the team.
Over the years we became very close friends and worked together on the White Waltham
range for Flight Re-fuelling and Shellscape. Wally was also a part of my family and my kids
adored him.
Wally was loved by his neighbours, his colleagues at work and by his friends who all
considered him to be a part of their family. There will never be another Wally. I was thrilled
to share just a small piece of his life however there was so much more of him that he
offered to us all.

ML GOLF SOCIETY

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