Rev. Walker was a great DS and person. He will be greatly missed.

It was with great sorrow that I learned of John's passing.  I have great remembrances of the five years I served on staff with John at Fort Smith First Church.   He was always a source of great support.  Joyce & Dennis, please know you are in my prayers for comfort at this time.


I surely learned a lot of Methodist history sitting in on some of John’s classes during Local Pastor Licensing School at Mount Eagle!  His love of teaching, Methodism, and new pastors came together every year in those weeks and he always got the most favorable comments from the students of any of our faculty.   I loved John Walker! 

Joyce,

I am saddened to hear of John's passing.  The five years I spent with him at Ft. Smith were some of the best years of ministry I have experienced.  Much of what made those years good for me was John and his experience as a Sr. Pastor and the ways in which he was so organized.

I learned much from him in those years and was blessed to be a part of his team.  I wanted you to know that his role in all levels of ministry within the UMC was deeply needed by the church and John has been sorely missed since his retirement. 

I want to also thank you for your support of John throughout his ministry, for most of what he did would not have been possible without your sacrifices.  I know he too appreciated your patience and loyalty across the years.

I am in Smackover these days and living in the parsonage where you and John lived in the early 70's.  My neighbors, the Rowen's and I have become close and they speak highly of you, John and the boys, while you were here.

Please know that you are in my prayers and I pray that God will comfort you in this time of loss.  May His love surround you, hold you, guide you and remind you that John is in His trustworthy and eternal hands.  May God's blessings be yours and your family's.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Cook

Remembering John as a fine member of the Class of ‘56, Fordyce High School.

Rev. Walker was one of the instructors at my License to Preach School at Mount Eagle in 2009.  I remember a discussion where all the students said that they would be willing to return for another session just to hear him again.  We were in awe listening to his stories, especially about things that happened during his visit to Epworth and even as a delegate to the uniting conference in Dallas in 1968.  There are few like him left.

Morning Star United Methodist Church

Joyce (Witherell) Walker

Dennis Walker (LouAnn)

Allison Ruff (Adam)

Kristin Titley (Paul)

Ellie Ruff

Miller Ruff

Lucy Ruff

Silas Titley

Charlotte Titley

Charity Nelson

John Franklin Walker, Sr.

Erline (Smith) Walker

David Walker

Jessie Lou Walker Lusby

Gross Funeral Home

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Rev. John Franklin Walker Jr.

April 20, 1938 – September 17, 2021

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