GOODFELLOW, Capt.(n) Honourable Walter R. E. M.S.M., C.D. III, Q.C.

Our beloved Walter passed away on May 5, 2022 at the age of 87 while on one last trip to Las Vegas. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Sandra; children, Alan, Steven (Kimberlea), Heather (Jeffrey), Geoffrey (Danielle); grandchildren Zoey, Ivy, Lily and Brennan; sister, Jackie Mccaig; sister-in-law, Ann; brother-in-law, John Burt; and many nieces and nephews.

Walter led a life of remarkable devotion to family, justice and service to his country. He first joined the Royal Canadian Navy at 17 serving on the HMCS Carleton, HMCS Crescent and HMCS Scotian. Later promoted to Commander, Walter transferred to the Jag branch and went on to serve as a military justice presiding over court martials across the country and overseas at former C.F.B Lahr in West Germany. Promoted to Captain (N), Walter was named the Senior Reserve Legal Advisor in Canada, Colonel Commandant of the Jag branch and served in various roles that took him everywhere from Bosnia to Kula Lumpur to Melbourne before finally retiring after a half century in uniform.

It was while serving in the reserves that Walter also chased his passion for the law. First admitted to the bar in 1960, he became a senior partner with Cox, Downie & Goodfellow where he significantly impacted the application of family law in Nova Scotia - the legacy of which endures today. Walter also served as President of the Nova Scotia Barrister Society and played a key role in reforming the Queen’s Council appointment process to a merit based one. He also taught law at Dalhousie University, contributed to legal publications and presided at the National Law School Gale Cup Moot Competition at Osgoode Hall for 25 years. His legal career culminated with being appointed to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, where he continued to leave an indelible mark on our justice system. Even after retirement from the bench he was asked to return to service to oversee the Settlement and Resolution of abuse claims against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antigonish, a task for which he refused to accept pay.

Walter’s extraordinary life also saw him lead the Young Progressive Conservatives of Canada in his younger years and become a close confident of the honourable John Diefenbaker before leaving politics to focus on his family, service and legal career. At various times in his life Walter served as the Director of the John Howard Society, Chair of The Canadian Paraplegic Association and too many other roles to mention. He held Honorary Life Memberships to the Canadian Bar, the Royal United Services Institute, Wardroom HMCS Scotian, Canadian Paraplegic Association of Nova Scotia and the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust (HMCS Sackville). He was also the recipient of several distinguished honours, including the Meritorious Service Medal, Canada 125 Medal, Queens Jubilee Medal and the Canadian Forces Medal III Clasps to name but a few. What he accomplished was made all the more remarkable by his humblest of beginnings in life.

Despite all his achievements, Walter’s true joy was found working in the woods at the family cottage at Piggott Lake, next to his faithful four-legged best friend "Vegas" and with his family nearby enjoying the paradise he had created with his own hands. But even that serenity couldn’t bring respite from his all-consuming devotion and concern for his family’s wellbeing. He was a man who went to extraordinary lengths to give his family the most incredible opportunities at life.

Outside of the very special and intimate relationship Dad shared with Mom, he was the kind of man who preferred to express his affections through actions. But anyone that knew Dad, knew the enormity of his heart. Whether it was sacrificing time he didn’t have or getting out of bed at 4 a.m. on the coldest nights in January to spray the backyard ice rink for his kids – he did these things, and countless others, without ever looking for a thank you. They weren’t simple gestures, favours or acts of kindness. They were just some of the ways he said "I love you" a million times over. On behalf of all who knew him, and especially on behalf of our family, "we love you too" Dad. Rest in Peace.

As per his wishes, there will be no funeral service. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Donations can be made to the Canadian Paraplegic Association (Nova Scotia) or a charity of choice. Anyone wishing to express their condolences, or to share their thoughts or memories of Walter with the family can do so in a manner of their choosing or by emailing: rememberwaltergoodfellow@gmail.com