Official Obituary of
Charles W. Walker
September 4, 1925 ~ June 16, 2007 (age 81) 81 Years Old
Charles Walker Obituary
WALKER Charles W. Walker, 81, passed away suddenly while recovering from heart surgery on Saturday, June 16 , 2007.
Chuck was born September 4, 1925 in Oak Park, Illinois, the son of H.F. and Jean Loveland Walker; both preceded him in death. He was preceded in death earlier this year by his wife of 58 years, Ina Lou Walker; they were married on September 5, 1948 at Armington Christian Church, Armington, Illinois. Surviving are his son Tom (Judy) Walker of East Grand Rapids, Michigan and daughters Jeannie (Gary) Murray of San Antonio, Texas and Amy Walker of Madison, Wisconsin; 4 grandchildren, Meg Murray of Hoboken, New Jersey, 2LT Todd W. Murray of McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey; Natalie (Andrew) Hamm of Chicago and Ashley (Chris) Nichols of Grand Rapids, Michigan; and 2 great-granddaughters, Olivia and Allyson Nichols of Grand Rapids. Chuck was an only child as were both his parents, but he married into Lous large and loving family and is survived by many in-laws, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Chuck grew up in suburban Chicago and upon graduation from Downers Grove High School in 1943, immediately entered the U.S. Navy V-12 pilot training program where he continued to train through the end of World War II.
Chuck and his bride, Lou, moved to Monticello in 1948 where she nursed at Kirby and he was an engineering student at the University of Illinois. He began his professional career as a draftsman at Illinois Power and in 1952 began an engineering career with the A.E. Staley Mfg. Co. in Decatur, retiring in 1987 and continuing as a consulting engineer to the end of his life.
Chuck served two terms as a Monticello city councilman, was a member of American Legion Post 101 since 1948 serving on the honor guard for decades and as post commander from 2002 - 2005. He was a member and former president of Monticello Golf Club and a member of Masonic Lodge #58
He has been an active member of the United Methodist Church of Monticello since 1948: he played for the church softball team, the Arks, in the early 1950s, bowled for the Methodist Men in the 50s and 60s, was a Sunday School teacher, a member of the Tri-M Sunday School class, and ushered in the balcony for decades.
Chuck was a great conversationalist and storyteller. He loved to play golf, fish in Wisconsin, work on his house, manage his farm land, travel and spend time with his family. He was a talented craftsman in fact, designed and hand-built his first house, was full of energy and ideas, but mostly a wonderful son, husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend and he will be greatly missed by all whose lives were touched by his.
Visitation will be 6:00 8:00PM on Thursday, June 21 at Mackey-Wright Funeral Home in Monticello. Funeral service will be at 11:00AM on Friday, June 22 at the United Methodist Church of Monticello. Officiating will be Rev. Michael Eischen, pastor. A graveside ceremony with military honors will follow at the Monticello Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to American Legion Post 101 in Monticello and to the United Methodist Church Tri-M Sunday School Class.
Chuck was born September 4, 1925 in Oak Park, Illinois, the son of H.F. and Jean Loveland Walker; both preceded him in death. He was preceded in death earlier this year by his wife of 58 years, Ina Lou Walker; they were married on September 5, 1948 at Armington Christian Church, Armington, Illinois. Surviving are his son Tom (Judy) Walker of East Grand Rapids, Michigan and daughters Jeannie (Gary) Murray of San Antonio, Texas and Amy Walker of Madison, Wisconsin; 4 grandchildren, Meg Murray of Hoboken, New Jersey, 2LT Todd W. Murray of McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey; Natalie (Andrew) Hamm of Chicago and Ashley (Chris) Nichols of Grand Rapids, Michigan; and 2 great-granddaughters, Olivia and Allyson Nichols of Grand Rapids. Chuck was an only child as were both his parents, but he married into Lous large and loving family and is survived by many in-laws, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Chuck grew up in suburban Chicago and upon graduation from Downers Grove High School in 1943, immediately entered the U.S. Navy V-12 pilot training program where he continued to train through the end of World War II.
Chuck and his bride, Lou, moved to Monticello in 1948 where she nursed at Kirby and he was an engineering student at the University of Illinois. He began his professional career as a draftsman at Illinois Power and in 1952 began an engineering career with the A.E. Staley Mfg. Co. in Decatur, retiring in 1987 and continuing as a consulting engineer to the end of his life.
Chuck served two terms as a Monticello city councilman, was a member of American Legion Post 101 since 1948 serving on the honor guard for decades and as post commander from 2002 - 2005. He was a member and former president of Monticello Golf Club and a member of Masonic Lodge #58
He has been an active member of the United Methodist Church of Monticello since 1948: he played for the church softball team, the Arks, in the early 1950s, bowled for the Methodist Men in the 50s and 60s, was a Sunday School teacher, a member of the Tri-M Sunday School class, and ushered in the balcony for decades.
Chuck was a great conversationalist and storyteller. He loved to play golf, fish in Wisconsin, work on his house, manage his farm land, travel and spend time with his family. He was a talented craftsman in fact, designed and hand-built his first house, was full of energy and ideas, but mostly a wonderful son, husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend and he will be greatly missed by all whose lives were touched by his.
Visitation will be 6:00 8:00PM on Thursday, June 21 at Mackey-Wright Funeral Home in Monticello. Funeral service will be at 11:00AM on Friday, June 22 at the United Methodist Church of Monticello. Officiating will be Rev. Michael Eischen, pastor. A graveside ceremony with military honors will follow at the Monticello Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to American Legion Post 101 in Monticello and to the United Methodist Church Tri-M Sunday School Class.
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