Sam Mullins

Around the time that Walker Financial was born, both the Walkers and Staley's moved away from the town of Ayr. But the bond between them didn't suffer. Albert saw to that. I think, if anything, that was where the friendship continued to grow. In the ensuing 10 years, the families were as entwined as ever. When the Staley's daughter Kim got married, Sheena was part of the ceremony.

I remember Sheena, the flower girl, going up the aisle. I mean, sweet Sheena.

I remember Sheena, the flower girl, going up the aisle. I mean, sweet Sheena.

After the move, Albert and Barb would drive to visit Bob and Betty as often as they could, which always perplexed Barb. While Barb had always enjoyed the Staley's fine, she was baffled by why Albert continued to be so insistent on remaining close to them after they moved. This was a man who maintained no other close friendships, who maintained no other relationships.

After the move, Albert and Barb would drive to visit Bob and Betty as often as they could, which always perplexed Barb. While Barb had always enjoyed the Staley's fine, she was baffled by why Albert continued to be so insistent on remaining close to them after they moved. This was a man who maintained no other close friendships, who maintained no other relationships.

He didn't even talk to his own siblings. Why the Staley's and no one else? In her book, Barb describes one day asking her husband, point blank, why do you keep in touch with them? Why are Bob and Betty Staley so important to you? And he said, because one day they will have money. The 1980s were Albert Walker's salad days. From the Walker Financial Promotional Materials.

He didn't even talk to his own siblings. Why the Staley's and no one else? In her book, Barb describes one day asking her husband, point blank, why do you keep in touch with them? Why are Bob and Betty Staley so important to you? And he said, because one day they will have money. The 1980s were Albert Walker's salad days. From the Walker Financial Promotional Materials.

Walker's Financial now has branches in Brantford, Hagersville, Paris, Woodstock, London, and Guelph. And this relatively small company has announced new plans for expansion using the same unique formula. Andy was out of his parents' house by this time, but he remembers his mom Betty keeping him updated during Walker Financial's heyday and how enthusiastically she would celebrate her friend.

Walker's Financial now has branches in Brantford, Hagersville, Paris, Woodstock, London, and Guelph. And this relatively small company has announced new plans for expansion using the same unique formula. Andy was out of his parents' house by this time, but he remembers his mom Betty keeping him updated during Walker Financial's heyday and how enthusiastically she would celebrate her friend.

And for the Staley's, Walker's success in the financial world could not have been coming at a better time. Because burning a hole in their pocket was a windfall. A lottery ticket of inheritance that they'd been waiting their whole lives to cash in.

And for the Staley's, Walker's success in the financial world could not have been coming at a better time. Because burning a hole in their pocket was a windfall. A lottery ticket of inheritance that they'd been waiting their whole lives to cash in.

In the late 80s, Betty Staley and her brother Bill inherited a huge swath of undeveloped land just outside Toronto, passed down all the way from their great-great-great-great-grandfather. 200 acres split between them. Nice little chunk of land, eh? It was finally time to cash in.

In the late 80s, Betty Staley and her brother Bill inherited a huge swath of undeveloped land just outside Toronto, passed down all the way from their great-great-great-great-grandfather. 200 acres split between them. Nice little chunk of land, eh? It was finally time to cash in.

So as Andy's parents start getting ready to go about selling off their hundred acres, what should appear from stage right but the silhouette of an opportunist?

So as Andy's parents start getting ready to go about selling off their hundred acres, what should appear from stage right but the silhouette of an opportunist?

He'd never sold real estate before, but he had proven that he knew what he was doing in general. So they say, sure. And the Staley's prepared for their lives to change forever. Economically, their existence had always been a modest one.

He'd never sold real estate before, but he had proven that he knew what he was doing in general. So they say, sure. And the Staley's prepared for their lives to change forever. Economically, their existence had always been a modest one.

But always humming in the background of his and his family's existence was a promise, a whisper of future prosperity.

But always humming in the background of his and his family's existence was a promise, a whisper of future prosperity.

And then it was real. The story goes that Albert Walker, real estate agent extraordinaire, had managed to drum up something of a bidding war on the Staley's property. The wildest expectation pre-sale was that he would fetch something in the ballpark of two and a half or $3 million. And keep in mind, we're talking about 1989 dollars here.