Jack McKinley Walker

Mr. Walker was born January 11, 1926 in Osawatomie, KS. He was the son of the late Alvin McKinley Walker and Selma Pauline Finley Walker. When Mr. Walker was only 2 years old, he and his parents relocated to Old Hickory, TN where he lived until his mid-twenties. He enlisted in the Merchant Marines when he was 17 and after turning 18, he went into the U. S. Army, serving in the 94th Infantry Division, fighting in “The Battle of the Bulge” in World War II. After WWII, he returned to civilian life in Old Hickory, but when the conflicts in Korea started arising, he enlisted once again to serve his country, but this time in the U. S. Air Force, as a Staff Sergeant. After serving in the Air Force, he began working for the United States Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A-.A.P.H.I.S.-P.P.Q. division) in 1967, of which he retired from in 1986 after completing his time in Bennettsville,SC, then moving to the Romeo community in Greene County, TN. He was a Methodist by faith and attended Romeo United Methodist Church until he and his wife’s health would no longer permit. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years: Emily Burnette Walker; two daughters and a son-in-law: Debra and George Johnson of Whitesburg, Jackie McCulla of the Romeo community; three grandsons: (adopted son) Rev. Jonathan “Jon” McKinley Walker and wife, Tammy, Jeffrey Taylor and wife, Jennifer, all of Morristown; Shawn Smith of Mooresburg; four great grandchildren: William Thomas McKinley Walker of Chuckey, Aaron McKinley Walker of the Romeo community, Hunter and Justin Taylor of Bean Station; a much loved brother and sister-in-law: Paul and Joyce Walker of Pulaski; double first cousin: Annette Walker of Madison, TN; several nieces, nephews and cousins from Middle Tennessee and Alabama; special friends, Tommy and Mary McDaniel of Little Rock, SC, Tony and Vanessa Shalosky of Conway, SC, Robert and Margaret Echols of the Romeo Community; and the employees and staff at the Shell/Roadrunner Market in Baileyton.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by James Thomas “Uncle Bud” and Ollie Wiles “Aunt Ollie” Shelton (whom he loved and adored); a double first cousin, Betty Walker. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 6:00 p.m. Friday, September 14, 2012, in the Kiser-Rose Hill Chapel. Rev. Doug Jennings and Rev. Jon M. Walker will officiate. Interment will be at a later date at the V.A. Mountain Home Cemetery in Johnson City with Full Military Honors.

The family wishes to thank everyone for their love, support, help and prayers, including all of the friends and neighbors in the Romeo Community, everyone at the Romeo United Methodist Church, the employees and staff of Life Care Center of Greeneville, Caris Hospice, Amedisys Home Health, and special, gifted doctor, Dr. Connie Holladay of the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Mountain Home,TN.

It was the explicit wish of Mr. Walker to be cremated.

The family will receive friends 4-6 p.m. Friday at Kiser-Rose Hill Funeral Home.