Coral Olive Walker

Coral was born in Danbad, India in October 1940 to Iris Downes and Mervyn Alphonso. She then lived in England and then came to Montreal, Canada. She then came to Toronto in 1975. In 1977, she took a woodcarving class in 1977 at Cedar Ridge Creative Centre in the hopes of meeting new people studying under Van Every. By 1983, she was teaching her own classes. The demand for her classes increased and, at one time, she was teaching nine classes at three different centres.

In 1988, she started to learn water colour so that she could apply some new skills to woodburning techniques after having identified that her students wanted to combine wood burning to wood carving and would then want to paint the finished projects. She appreciated that the artist has to master the technical skills while creating a work of art.

There were many challenges and rewards of her teaching. She had to instill the patience to her students to work carefully and safely with their tools. She had to listen to her students to figure out what they wanted their piece to look like and must then guide them through the stages of production in a way that is clear and acceptable to them. Her classes were very popular and she had many dedicated students.

Among her many accomplishments were the Toronto crest displayed at the provincial legislature and the Scarborough crest at the Scarborough Civic Centre. She was one of a number of artists on the image of the Toronto Hydro Commission Building in the Ontario Science Centre which was carved into a branch of the 150 year old silver maple that inspired the song “The Maple Leaf Forever” and she produced the sign for the Squirrel’s Nest Childcare Centre. She won Best of Category award at the CNE for her Harlequin carving.

Coral is survived by her two children, Graham and Laurie, she has four brothers and various nephews, nieces and cousins.

Visitation will be held at the Giffen Mack Funeral & Cremation Centre, 4115 Lawrence Ave E., Scarborough, on Friday, from 2 – 4 & 6 – 8 p.m. Funeral Mass to be held at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 3216 Lawrence Ave. E., Scarborough on Saturday, October 14, 2023 at 11 a.m. Cremation to follow. At the family's request, donations in Coral's memory would be appreciate to the Hospital for Sick Children.