Mr. Walter Kuo-Hwa Shaw

Walter, born of Shaw Chuan Wen and Shaw Yao Shi on June 15, 1929 in Chaoyang, Canton Province, China. A child during the war years he was to leave his home and head for Hong Kong at the age of 17. He stayed with his elder sister Lei Heng for 6 years before finally moving to Taiwan in 1952 exploring the post war opportunities in the Republic of China. He lived with his elder brother Kuo Cai in Taichung for 3 years working as a sales representative selling typewriters and office equipment for Universal Trading company. He was finding his niche and would then move to Taipei to Midland Trading company as a sales representative, selling Royal Typewriters and calculators. A few years later the company was to change to sell global products by then he was the manager.

In 1974 he was to start the company Mannics and worked as the General Manager.

Walter had vision and with his aptitude for electronics could see great opportunities and went from selling Brand names to manufacturing his own company’s products the ‘electronic adding machine with printable tape’ in both desk top and hand held versions. He was selling his devices world wide.

The gates were open and Walter was published as one of the 300 Top Entrepreneurs of Taiwan in 1978. Just 4 years after starting Mannics.

An article said that ‘what Mc Enroe was to tennis Walter is to electronics’.

Walters attitude to life and business was immeasurable, he was a great man, a wise man that would earn him the respect and loyalty of his management,

and his 400 strong work force at that time. A man indeed to be revered.

It wasn’t all work though. He eyed a very pretty girl and would take her treats to catch her attention. Peanuts I believe.

Another Walter plan in action, she was to be a tough cookie… No more Mah Jong with the boys and he had to gain a degree.

And so he did and was married to the delightful and beautiful Shirley in 1966

A message to Shirley from Walter, said:

"She fills my heart with very special things.

She fills my soul with so much love that anywhere I go I am never lonely.

I know I’ll need her till the stars all burn away.

This love would indeed last forever.

All is well."

Walter continued to make waves and his work ethic was to "live to work and not work to live".

He saw other opportunities and in particular the TV Games consoles. In 1981 Mannics was to become Grandex and would be the supplier to Atari and Matel

He did however find time to help make 2 wonderful daughters Judy and Betty who would become his R&D for the then new found TV computer games.

They called it homework...

Judy and Betty were truly treasured and they were nurtured by loving and supportive parents and they would reach high standards in almost everything.

Walters success over the years was to pay dividends and like the best knew when to move on.

He and Shirley would take the first step to retirement, and in 1986 the year of EXPO moved to Vancouver to start a new life.

Although retirement just meant another golden opportunity for Walter who went on to build a few properties including one on E. 11 & Victoria and another one on Westminster & Garden City and of course the house at Wiltshire Street which would be their family home.

He was always busy, but at last, having been a member of a golf club for some time eventually started swinging the clubs, it was his passion… judging by the amount of golf bags and club sets I came across.

At home I would always see a putter against the wall and golf balls ready for practice on the landing or in the lounge.

He and Shirley would take cruises almost every year, sailing/traveling the Americas and Europe enjoying the benefits of his hard work, and making frequent trips back to Taiwan to keep in touch with family and friends.

One lasting memory of Walter was his cooking skills, his culinary expertise excelled. The legacy of his wonderful beef dish will continue.

Sadly Walter has gone from our presence but not from our hearts and memories and while we may sometimes be feeling empty we can fill our thoughts with

the happy times, the good times, the fun times, and feel the warmth of this great and good man.

But today shouldn't’t be a sad occasion but should be a celebration of a long, rich, blessed and happy life. It should be a celebration of a man who is loved,

who on his last day was surrounded by three generations of family, who leaves behind him an enormous legacy of family, wisdom, memories, and recipes.

He will be missed by all of us.