Walker A. Jensen

Walker Allen Jensen was born in Chicago, IL on July 30, 1917. He lived in Chicago until 1926 when his family moved to Winnetka, IL. He spent the summer on 1926 in Los Angeles, CA visiting his grandmother Mary Jensen and his aunts Ruth and Karen Jensen. This was Walk's first visit to the paradise that would become his home many years later. He attended elementary school at Greeley Elementary School in Winnetka after starting at the Eugene Field School in Chicago. He graduated from Skokie Junior High School in 1931. In the summer of 1934, Walker took a travel camp through the west and visited his aunts in Los Angeles again. He graduated from New Trier High School in 1935.

From 1935 until 1939, Walk, aspiring to be an actor, attended the School of Speech of Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Because of financial constraints imposed by his parents, he chose to abandon his acting ambitions, and from 1939 until 1942, he was a student at the School of Law of Northwestern University in Chicago, IL graduating in June 1941. He was admitted to the Illinois Bar in March 1942. Walker worked as the in-house attorney for Bell and Howell Camera Company for the three months April - June 1942 where he met Robert McNamara who would be his future commander.

In July 1942, Walker enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve Corps as a pilot trainee living at Lake Forest College and in July and August 1942 took flying lessons a Palwaukee Airport. In September 1942, Walker was called to active duty at Roswell, NM where he took basic training as a glider pilot from September through November 1942. In December 1942, he continued his training at the base in Artesia, NM. In January 1943, Walker was transferred to Albuquerque, NM and the glider training was terminated. There he worked in the glider reassignment pool until June 1943. Then he enrolled at officer candidate school in Miami Beach, FL. In August 1943, he transferred to officer training school at the Harvard University School of Business in Boston, MA from which he graduated in October 1943 at the head of his class. Walker was then assigned to the 20th Bomber Command in Salinas, KS where he worked as the assistant to Robert McNamara until February 1944 when the unit was moved to Kharagpur, India. En route to Kharagpur, the unit travelled for one month through South America, Ascension Island, Central Africa, Aden, the Perisan Gulf, Agra. In June 1944, after three months, the headquarters split. Walk was chief statistical control officer at the 58th Bomb Wing Headquarters which was moved to Chentu, China where the unit would spend the next nine months. In March 1945, the 58th Bomb Wing transferred via India and Kunming, China to the Marianna Islands. The 58th Bomb Wing was on Tinian Island as a part of the 20th Air Force which was on Guam. It was from Tianian Island that the Enola Gay took off to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. When the war ended in September 1945, Walk came back to the United States via Hawaii and landed in San Francisco and was discharged at Ft. Sheridan, IL.

Due to the large number of lawyers released from active duty, Walk was unable to find a legal position back in Chicago. He decided to go to Washington, D.C. with a letter of introduction seeking a job in the legal department of the Internal Revenue Service where he encountered the same situation. In order to stay in Washington, Walker accepted a position with the Alien Property Custodians Office where he processed cases involving returning German assets to their prewar owners. The principle case involved General Anilan and film which was ostensibly owned by I. G. Chemie, a Swiss Company, when, in fact, it was owned by I. G. Farben, a German Company. When this position ended, unable to secure a job at the IRS, Walk returned to Chicago in January 1946 to work for Knapp, Cushing, Hershberger and Stevenson, a corporate law firm representing U.S. Steel, its subsidiaries and other big steel companies. Walk worked as an associate until 1953 when he opened his own office at 111 W. Washington St. - Chicago, IL.

Walk shared office space with Ralph Batten who was a senior adoption attorney and friend of the family. Upon Ralph's unexpected death on January 1, 1954, Walk became an adoption attorney himself taking over the existing practice. From 1954 until his retirement in 1986, Walk handled over 5,000 adoption cases.

On December 29, 1951, Walk married Margaret Ely McClellan who was teaching music at Roycemore School in Evanston. They honeymooned in Nassau in the Bahamas. They lived in Chicago until 1953 when they moved to their first house at 2226 Pioneer Road in Evanston. Their son Eric Walker Jensen was born in Evanston on 13 Sept 1953. Their daughter Katherine Allen Jensen was born in Chicago, IL on 20 Aug 1956, was adopted from the Cradle Society and placed with them in October 1956. The need for a larger house arose from Margaret's visual handicap requiring live-in, household help, and in September 1957, the family moved to 600 Ash St. (built in 1906)- Winnetka, IL where Walk lived until he moved to Encinitas, CA in the summer of 1986. During his 32 years as an adoption attorney, Walk became an expert in adoption law, counseling many clients, judges and adoption agencies. He had a very happy practice, and a good relationship with the courts.

In the late 1950s his wife Margaret became a devout member of the Bahá’í Faith. For many years Walk supported her work although he did not become a Bahá’í himself. After extensively studying the Bahá’í teachings, Walk eventually joined the religion and was very involved in the local, national, and international Bahá’í communities during his years in the Chicago area. Although he was not an active Bahá’í after his retirement to California, the teachings continued to be a foundational support throughout his life.

In 1976, his wife Margaret died after a lifelong struggle with childhood-onset diabetes. Walk was a patient, kind, and loving caretaker throughout their years together.

In the late 1970's, the number of adoptions fell off considerably. With Margaret gone and both children in college, Walk was able to have more time for himself. During their years together Walk and Margaret shared a strong interest in humanistic psychology, including Transactional Analysis, Gestalt Therapy, role-playing systems, and various schools of bodywork. Walk studied Gestalt Therapy extensively becoming a certified Gestalt therapist. Several trips to the Esalen Institute at Big Sur introduced him to the California lifestyle.

He developed a close friendship and eventually a business partnership with Bill and Joan Nemour of Encinitas. After Margaret’s passing he began a series of solo international trips; his first in the summer of 1979 to Scandinavia. Trips to California became more frequent especially to the home of his friends the Nemours.

Back in Chicago, Walk continued to practice law and regularly attended workshops, making many new friends. During this period he met and fell in love with Angelo Buscemi. In 1986, Walk retired from his law practice, left Winnetka after 60 years, and moved to Encintas, CA, with his new partner Angelo. Moving to Southern California was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Walk was able to buy the Nemour’s home, which he had visited so many times, after the death of his dear friend Bill.

Walk loved Southern California, savoring the beautiful home he and Angelo made together. During his retirement years, Walk and Angelo travelled extensively, enjoying operas and exploring the world. Back at home Walk loved playing duplicate bridge and spending hours on his Apple computer. He relished his years as a Grandfather with many visits from the grandkids, splashing in the pool and sharing computer time with their Grandpa. In 2011 Walk had the joy of meeting his great-granddaughter, as a new generation began. Over the years there were many joyful reunions and celebrations with family and friends in their stunning Encinitas home. On July 4, 2008, Walk fulfilled another dream; legally marrying Angelo Diretto (formerly Buscemi) when same-sex marriage became legal in California.

Walk lived out his final years, peacefully, in the home he loved, cared for by his loving partner and enjoying many special visits with family and old friends. As he began to need special care he opted for home hospice. Hospice By The Sea, Solana Beach, CA was chosen and provided the best personal, sensitive, loving care available.

Walker’s extraordinary kindness, love and generosity warmed everyone who was in his presence.