Born in Knoxville, TN in 1937 to Grace and Emmett Walker, he attended Fulton High School and the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where he joined the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He was elected chapter president in his junior and senior years.
After college, he served in the Air Force and was stationed in Oklahoma. There, he met Yvonne Marie Trub on a double date. They were married on November 26, 1960 and, after completing his Air Force commitment, they moved to Dallas, TX where Jerry began his career with the accounting firm, Lybrand, Ross Brothers & Montgomery. In 1963, a son, Kevin, was born, followed in 1966 by another son, Trevor.
In 1970, Jerry became a partner at Coopers & Lybrand, and in 1975, was offered the opportunity to open a new office in Memphis, TN. Four years later, Jerry succeeded his mentor, Ken Arthur, as managing partner of the Dallas office and was later named Southwest Regional Managing Partner, responsible for offices from Salt Lake City to New Orleans. The work was challenging, and Jerry enjoyed working with clients and the camaraderie he found with partners and staff.
1996 brought two big changes for Jerry; first, he became a grandfather in July and second, he was able to retire in October. With the free time, he and Yvonne could visit their new granddaughter in California and travel as they'd always wanted to.
In 2002, Yvonne was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away that summer. Jerry kept himself busy on the finance committee at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, working to build the Community Life Center. In 2004, he met Anna Ramey and they married in 2008. They enjoyed time with kids and grandkids, traveling, and led an active social life in Dallas and the mountains of Highlands, NC. Anna preceded him in death, passing away in 2018.
In time, Jerry began to travel with family, play golf, and enjoy time with friends in both Dallas and Highlands. Family trips to Hawaii, Alaska, New York and Colorado were among his favorites.
In June 2023, Jerry was diagnosed with cancer. He underwent surgery, but the cancer returned in early 2024. Despite the efforts of the great doctors and nurses at UTSW and his determination to fight, Jerry entered hospice care and passed away peacefully on 6/1/24. He leaves behind two sons, Kevin Michael Walker and Trevor Alan Walker; two daughters-in-law, Donna Zaruba Walker and Jessica Vasquez Walker; and four grandchildren, Annie Grace Zaruba-Walker, Ethan Mathias Zaruba-Walker, Avery Marie Walker, and Grace Ellison Walker, all of whom he loved dearly.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Friday, June 7th, 2024, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Dallas, followed by the Rite of Committal at Hillcrest Memorial Park and a reception at Jerry's Home. In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to donate to the Holy Trinity Catholic Church Food Pantry, Covenant House Texas, or a charity of your choice.
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