John was born in Southbridge, Mass., USA., on February 21, 1945, the son of the late Alexander and Martha (Blackburn) Walkinshaw. After graduating from Southbridge High School (1963), he went to Lowell Technical Institute (now the University of Massachusetts Lowell) earning a B.S. degree in Paper Engineering (1967), a M.S. degree in Paper Engineering (1969), and a M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering (1970). In 1978 he received his Ph.D.degree  from Victoria University of Manchester (U.K.) in Paper Science. 

 

He was hired as an instructor at LTI in 1968, becoming a full professor in 1988. Prof. Walkinshaw taught, advised, and mentored more than a thousand students. He received 17 awards for teaching excellence and had been the faculty adviser to many students and student organizations, including the Lowell Student Chapter of TAPPI and the founding adviser to the Lowell Student Chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). He was a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and national TAPPI. 

 

An active TAPPI member and a past technical editor for TAPPI Journal, he was a member for 46 years who always enjoyed volunteering for the association. In 2013 he was named a TAPPI Fellow. His award reads in part: 

 

"During a long and distinguished career, John Walkinshaw has made significant contributions to the paper industry by his many accomplishments as an educator, in testing standards development, and in the research and development of innovative technology for the treatment of secondary fiber," said Larry N. Montague, president and CEO of TAPPI. "During his more than 40 years of service to TAPPI, his leadership and hard work have been instrumental in the development and implementation of many of the TAPPI Standards and Test Methods used by the industry today." 

 

Past chairman of the Technical Committee D-06 for the American Society of the Testing of Materials (ASTM), he went on to become a part of the United States International Standards Organization (ISO) Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for the Technical Committee for Pulp, Paper and Paperboard (TC 06). In 2006 he was appointed head of the U.S. delegation by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). 

 

As a member of the Pulp and Paper Technical Association of Canada (PAPTAC) and the U.S. observer of the Canadian Standards Council (CAC), he worked to build a united North American position for paper test standards at the international level. 

 

John was a registered professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He was active in research and held U.S. patents in ultrasonic processing. 

 

John was well loved and admired by colleagues and students. Besides his wife Susan, he is survived by his niece Louise Hartley and her daughter Constance Hartley of the U.K. and many cousins. He is predeceased by his half-sister, the late Barbara (Walkinshaw) Hatton. 

 

Visiting hours are Monday, August 31, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. followed by his memorial service at 2:00 p.m.at the Dolan Funeral Home located at 106 Middlesex St., Chelmsford, Mass.. A private burial will be held at a later date in the Oak Ridge Cemetery in Southbridge. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 1848, Longmont, Col., 80502.