Allen Walker

It is with heavy hearts we mourn the loss of David "Allen" Walker, who passed peacefully in the morning on Tuesday January 30, 2024, at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon. He is survived by his sister Ann McMillan and brother Wayne (Janice), his former wife Gwen and their loving children Erin (Jeff), Ian (Aki) and Nathan; grandchildren Austin, Zach, Siya, Cormac and Cy, and numerous nieces & nephews. Allen was predeceased by his parents David and Hazel Walker.

Allen was born on the family farm outside of Greenan, SK during a severe snowstorm. He didn't have time to wait for the doctor which was fitting for a man determined to live life on his own terms. He grew up going to school in the Hamlet of Plato, not far from where he was born, then the town of Eston where he graduated high school. In his youth he would spend time at the family cabin his father built at Clearwater Lake. It was there that as a young man on two separate occasions he saved people from drowning and was recognized by The Royal Canadian Humane Association for his heroic actions. He moved to Saskatoon after high school where he graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 1972 with a degree in Computer Science. Allen decided not to pursue a career with his degree that would have him working a desk job 9 to 5. He was drawn to the lure of farming and the idea of being his own boss. In 1981 Allen and his young family moved to a freshly broken farmyard a mile north from where his grandfather originally homesteaded.

Allen, like many of the Walkers, grew up with a restless energy and creative drive. His passions were plenty, and he could always be found in his shop or basement building telescopes, crafting jewelry, tinkering with his mountain bikes and motorcycles, or turning wood creations on his lathe. He was also deeply invested in making a connection with the land he grew up on, going for long walks in the wild prairie he preserved on one of his quarter sections. He had a keen eye for finding arrowheads and appreciated even the smallest forms of life from the shrews and ground squirrels to the burrowing owls that inhabited the land. For vacations Allen would take his family on camping trips in the mountains. Exploring some of the wilder terrain in the Rockies by hiking up into valleys and lakes or venturing down rivers in the family canoe.

In his thirties he would often hop on his custom-built Moto Guzzi after harvest and tour the American southwest with friends. An old Rand McNally map marking his routes completely covered in ball point pen. It was during those trips he found a lasting love for the Arizona desert. Spending many winters touring the state parks with his 1960's Fireball trailer sometimes joined on his adventures by his kids and grandkids.

As a grandfather, Allen often welcomed his grandkids to the farm. Spending hours with them picking saskatoon berries and sour cherries in his orchard, teaching them bow skills in his archery range, or looking at faraway nebulas and galaxies through one of the many telescopes he built. He loved sharing his knowledge on his favourite subjects and maintained a large library of books and records for anyone to explore during their visits.

Allen always made a memorable impression on the people he met throughout his many travels. He was a gentle soul who would often show kindness to those in need. He will be dearly missed by his friends and family. Forever remembered for his endless curiosity and adventurous spirit.

"We are stardust

Billion-year old carbon

And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden"

― Joni Mitchell

A Celebration of Life will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Monday August 26, 2024 at the Greenan School House in the Hamlet of Greenan, SK.