George Thomas Walker

At the beginning of this month, before my father's illness, my grandson, Caiden, independently decided to write my father's biography for his fifth-grade class. The paper was entitled "Courage," and the first sentence opened with, "George Walker is my great-grandpa on my mom's side of the family. He inspires me because he isn't afraid of the unknown." I could not think of a better beginning to eulogize my father.

George Thomas Walker was born in Kansas City, Missouri, to Oscar and Irma Walker. As an underage teenager, Dad joined the military during World War II and served on a ship in the pacific theater as a "radioman," sending and receiving messages by Morse Code. Following the war, he returned to Missouri, attending William Jewel College, where he met his future wife, Beverly Miller. He left William Jewel to study at the Kansas City Art Institute, but this endeavor was interrupted by the responsibilities of marriage, the arrival of his first child, and the unexpected recall to military service during the Korean War. The Navy stationed my father in Tokyo, Japan, where he worked in cryptology, decoding and coding messages for the Pacific High Command.

Following the Korean War, he settled in Southern California with his young family, securing work with a defense contractor. He began as a draftsman and worked his way up to being the head electronic engineer, developing missile guidance systems. I remember seeing calculus and engineering books that he studied at night to enhance his professional skills.

His life took an abrupt change in 1969, during a downturn in the defense industry, when he moved to Wilmette, Illinois, to work for the Baha'i Faith. For the next twenty years, my mother and father worked together, running the Baha'i Home for the elderly. After their retirement, my parents lived in the Palm Springs area for another twenty years before moving to Las Vegas to live with my brother and his wife, Rex and Addie.

As I review my father's historical narrative, my mind is more filled with all of the beautiful memories and experiences I shared with him: As a child, rooting for the Anaheim High School football team on Friday nights; Dad driving me to the hospital in downtown Los Angeles to have my tonsils removed; participating in the Anaheim Centennial celebration, as a family, we assumed the costume and roles of a pioneer family; playing for him as the coach of our little league baseball team, the Braves; going on car vacations when he took us to see the Golden Gate Bridge, Yellow Stone National Park, the Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, and many other destinations; as a young teenager, playing golf with him and his workmates; and so many other memories, too numerous to mention.

As I reflect on my life with Dad, I realize that he taught me many things, not by word, but by example. I have always strived to emulate his qualities of excellence in work & life, perseverance, independence, loyalty, generosity, and modesty.

My grandson’s biography of Dad ended with:

"I would like to be like my great grandpa because he is and was a hard worker. He has endured more trials and tribulations more than anyone else I know. Aside from being in the war, my great grandpa George was an engineer, he ran a compassionate nursing home for years, and he himself has healed from many heart surgeries and recovered with flying colors. His ability to be steadfast and strong is amazing to me and I hope to have half his focus and strength."

My father was many things, but mostly he was a good person. I, too, hope to be half the man he was.