Amos Walker

To Amos Walker, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Amos, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Amos really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Amos was born on March 26, 1940 in Sylacauga, Alabama. His parents were Amos Lee Walker and Myrtle Leonard-Walker. Amos was raised in Sylacauga, Alabama. Even as a child, Amos had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Amos was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Amos managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Amos was raised with five siblings. He had two younger brothers Bill Walker and Robert Walker (both deceased), and three younger sisters Louise Johnson, Ethel McGhee (deceased), and Carrie McCoy.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Amos was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Amos simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Amos, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Amos's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Amos graduated from East Highland High School in 1959. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was Art.

Amos never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Amos to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Amos delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Amos was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Amos utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, one of his best friends was Earnest Dark (deceased). Later in life, he became friends with Howard Robertson Sr. Amos loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Amos very easy to approach. On April 8, 1961 Amos exchanged wedding vows with Barbara Jean Oden on the front porch of Barbara's parents home in Sylacauga, Alabama. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Amos related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Amos had four children, three daughters, Anita Walker-Hayes, Marcella Walker, Richettia Walker, and one son, Raymond Walker. He was blessed with four grandchildren, Vahnessa Hayes, Jessica Walker, Rahkyta Hayes, and Rahkeesha Walker. Amos was also blessed with five godchildren, Judy Shields, Tammi Brown, Velma Wilson, William Garvin, and Lesean Taylor (deceased). Amos had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Amos's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Amos had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Amos was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Amos liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Amos was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Amos's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Amos as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was as a Crew Leader and Relief Supervisor. He was employed for 35 years at Owens Corning Fiberglass.

Amos enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Amos liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were fishing, gardening, and watching old western movies. Amos was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Amos felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Amos loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Amos relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Amos never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. Recreational sports included baseball. Amos was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football (he was a die-hard Raider's fan) and baseball.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Amos recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a member of the Bible Way Christian Center for several years. During that time, he was involved with the Golden Harvest Senior Ministry, Produce Ministry, and Men's Retreat.

Living life in the fast lane suited Amos just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included Hawaii and the many places, cities, and states he visited with his well known group "Forty and Some".

Amos believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Amos remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, he found new pleasure in fishing and gardening. Even in retirement, Amos continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Amos passed away on March 22, 2014 at Good Samaritan Hospital. He fought a good fight against Pneumonia and through it all he still managed to remain the kind, compassionate person we all knew and loved. He is survived by his children Anita Walker-Hayes, Marcella Walker, Raymond Walker, and Richettia Walker; his grandchildren Vahnessa Hayes, Jessica Walker, Rahkyta Hayes, and Rahkeesha Walker; his sisters Louise Johnson and Carrie McCoy; and his godchildren Judy Shields, Tammi Brown, Velma Wilson, William Garvin, and a host of loving nieces and nephews, brothers and sisters in Christ, and relatives and friends. Services were held at the Bible Way Christian Center in San Jose, California. Amos was laid to rest in Oak Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park in San Jose, California.

Amos brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Amos Walker lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.