ASHRAE San Joaquin - Home

Summer Announcements

Hello from you incoming president. I hope you are enjoying your summer vacations. I am too, which is why I am only writing a brief hello to those of you who are peeking at our wonderful website for news. Check out the various new info and I will see you on September 3rd for lunch and September 25th for our big fundraiser- the Golf Tournament.
Jim Orr

Wallace “Wally” Donley — Mechanical Engineer

The following are highlights of Wally s career and involvement with ASHRAE.

Wally was born in Glasglow, Scotland on May 5, 1922. He completed 4 years of mechanical drafting at Cass Technical School in 1940 and completed a BSME in 1948 from the University of Michigan. His early career included work as a tool designer draftsman, 1939 to 1940, junior engineer with National Automatic Tool Company Detroit, sales engineer for Honeywell Los Angeles 1948 to 1952, associate with J.S. Hamel Consulting Engineers Los Angeles and president of W.L. Donley and Associates Fresno 1955 to 2007. (The period from 1940 to 1945 Wally spent with the Royal Canadian Air Force, Bomber Command Flying Officer). Wally held professional licenses in California and Arizona. Wally provided engineering services for clients from 8:00 am to noon and 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm Monday-Friday at the W.L. Donley Associates offices until February 2007. Wally’s AS HRAE service was extensive. He joined ASHRAE in 1953. The first SJVC Committee service was Board of Governors in 1962. He chaired or was a member of 8 Chapter Committees from 1962 through 1994 (32 years) including 1969 CRC Chair and 1988 CRC Finance Committee
Chair.

Chapter Offices: 67-68 Treasurer, 68-69 Secretary/Vice President, and 69-71 (2 years) President.

He obtained his grade of ASHRAE Fellow in 1977. Wally s activities at the national level are numerous, 33 committee positions during the period 1967 to 2007, including 6 technical committees. Wally did not miss the Winter Meeting or the Annual Convention in June. He was very involved with ASHRAE and had many friends in the organization. One of his best friends was Richard Perry whom he regularly roomed with at the national meetings. Wally s ASHRAE awards included Region Award of Merit 1982, Distinguished Service Award 1986, Life Member 1987 (until 2009 Wally was the only Fellow of the SJV Chapter), Exceptional Service Award 2001, and 50 year Distinguished Member 2003. Wally was also very active in the Consulting Engineers Association of California, and the Construction Specification Institute.

Notable projects include:
Fresno Convention Center Fresno Air Terminal
Clovis High School CSUF Classroom Building
Fresno City Hall Fresno Community Hospital 10 Story Tower

Civic organizations that Wally participated in are: Lions International Fresno Host Lions Club member 1966-2007, (Club President 1985-1986), Boy Scouts - Troop 95, St. Columbia Episcopal Church, Fresno County Board of Appeals and State Architect Advisory Committee.

Wally was an extraordinary ASHRAE member. It is unlikely that the San Joaquin Chapter will ever have a member that contributed more to ASHRAE than Wally Donley. Wally was definitely an ASHRAE member that set an example for all of us. Unfortunately, Wally discontinued the opportunity to serve on February 20, 2007, at the age of 84.

Wally enjoyed companionship with his wife Pearl for 53 years. They have one son, three daughters and five grandchildren.

Wally’s family donated his ASHRAE library of books to the S JVC of ASHRAE. The library is housed at the offices of Lawrence Nye Andersen Associates and is available for interested persons use.

The above information obtained from the ASHRAE Biographical Record of Mr. Wallace L. Donley, P.E.
and Pearl Donley.

Gilbert L. Nye, P.E. - Historian SJVC ASHRAE