Don Richard Walker, age 86, died at home April 7, 2009 of natural causes following a stroke and a long struggle with the effects of post-polio syndrome. Born May 11, 1922 in Mishawaka, the youngest child of Raleigh Clinton and Mary Idessia (Moore) Walker, he was a life-long resident of Mishawaka. His parents and twelve siblings preceded him in death.
Mr. Walker graduated from Mishawaka High School in 1941, ending 70 straight semesters with one or more Walker siblings in the Mishawaka Public Schools. He worked as a production scheduler at Dodge Manufacturing from 1942 until retirement in 1982, and was a member of the Quarter Century Club. He was a long-term member of Albright United Methodist Church where he served in many different leadership capacities throughout his life, including leading youth activities and singing tenor in the choir. The church was the center of his life, providing a large circle of friends, and he lived with deep and abiding faith. He loved to travel from an early age, first traveling with friends, and later leading his family on camping trips to national parks throughout North America. Mr. Walker was also an avid woodworker, making toys, lamps, and bowls for friends and family.
Mr. Walker married Iris Joan (Smiley) Walker, who survives, on November 3, 1946 at the 1st Evangelical United Brethren Church, now Albright United Methodist Church.. He is also survived by their three sons, Paul Mark Walker and his wife, Diane (Parr), of Charlottesville, Virginia, Jack Laverne Walker of Mishawaka, and Craig Alan Walker and his wife Katherine (Singletary) of Germantown, Wisconsin, and two grandchildren, Scott Raleigh and Carol Elizabeth Walker, also of Germantown. Also surviving are numerous extended family members including sister-in-law Fern Walker of Van Wert, Ohio, Jerry and Brenda Rendall and Myron Williamson of Mishawaka, and Lafayette J. and Janet Harbison of West Ossipee, New Hampshire, and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Sunday from 5-7 pm at Bubb’s Funeral Home, 3910 N. Main St, Mishawaka and Monday from 9 -11 a.m. at Albright Church. The memorial service will be on Monday, 11 a.m. at Albright Church. He will be interred at Fairview Cemetery, Mishawaka. Memorials to Albright UMC, 504 W. Mishawaka Ave, Mishawaka, Indiana, 46545
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Kevin Buckley grew up next door to us on Linden Ave, and is a Methodist minister. He is about 6 years younger than me. This is such a fitting tribute to dad, putting into words all that we have known for so long.
Click here to see this tribute
3 comments:
What a wonderful piece of prose. Thank you for putting it on the blog. The Mishawaka Walker Reunion will never be the same.
Thanks be to God for Rev. Buckley, who has eloquently put into words what must be on the hearts and minds of each person who ever met Uncle Don Walker.
Such a lovely remembrance of a special man. To Iris, Craig, Jack and Paul and all of your families, my thoughts and prayers are with you. We will all miss Uncle Don.
~~ Marleen
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