By Happenstance: Walter's Story

By Kathy Harms

British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, 1940: Walter grows up playing in the orchards, but his idyllic childhood doesn't last long. When his family moves to a rough patch of land on Vancouver Island, responsibility lands on Walter, and hard work becomes second nature.

After high school, Walter pursues a career as a teacher - respectable, stable employment. But something doesn't feel right.

A small newspaper ad catches his eye: an introductory flying lesson. One half-hour in the air is all it takes. He's hooked.

That single flight sets him on a course into the vast, unforgiving landscapes of Canada's North - flying for larger-than-life bosses and learning, flight by flight, to trust his skill, his instincts, and, when circumstances demand it, a little divine intervention.

By Happenstance: Walter's Story is a memoir for readers of aviation history, pioneering life, and true stories of unlikely paths.

Walter's Story is one half of the By Happenstance stories.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9893681944
• ISBN13: 9789893681947
• Release Date: May 2026
• Publisher: Catkim Press
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 0.91 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.7" x 5.5"