Janice P. (Denker) Walker

Janice Pauline Denker Walker died on October 19, 2021 at Baylor Scott and White Hospital at the age of 91. She was born in Enid, Oklahoma, March 25, 1930, to Thomas N. Denker and Beatrice Hawn Denker. She was one of three children, Tom Jr., Elaine and Tiny, as Janice was lovingly called. They grew up on the family wheat farm outside of Enid, and she loved to tell the story of riding a horse to the country school one day, but he bucked her off and ran back to the farm and she had to walk all the way home.

Janice attended Enid High School and then Phillips University where she met her future husband, Tom Walker. After their marriage in 1950, they moved to Oklahoma City for him to attend medical school at Oklahoma University. While there they had three children, Jeanne, Deborah and Garry.

Their next move was to Wewoka, Oklahoma where Tom went to practice with his father and after a few years, Temple became their new home, and both lived there until their deaths.

Janice was active in the local medical community, her children’s schools, (even being a room mother at Jefferson Elementary for her grandson), as well as other community organizations. She also love to sew and made most of her daughters’ clothes.

As an empty nester, Janice took up bridge and eventually became a Life Master. She was still playing bridge and winning until shortly before her death. Another hobby was quilting and that too became a big part of her life along with being active in the Wildflower Quilt Guild. She won many awards for her quilts and even had one entered at the National Quilt Show in Paduka, Kentucky. She died leaving two rooms full of quilts and fabrics.

Once Tom retired from his medical practice, they bought a farm in Heidenheimer and became Red Angus ranchers along with being very active in the Red Angus Association. Janice was often in charge of the Cow Chip Bingo at Red Angus livestock shows.

Janice always liked a challenge as well as learning something new: recipes, quilting techniques, bridge challenges and finding new recipes for her breads and cobblers.

She is survived by her children and spouses: Jeanne and John Cunningham and their children, Preston and wife Erin, Scott and his wife Andrea and Catherine Salzman and husband Ryan; Debbie and Neil Punchard and their children, Jaima Abercrombie and Rob; Garry and Linda Walker and his son Brian. “Granno” had eight great grandchildren: Ellie, Meredith, Brooke, Brynn, Nina, June, John and Caty.

She is also survived by her brother, Tom Denker Jr, of Enid, Oklahoma.

There will be a family graveside service at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the Friends of the Temple Public Library, 100 W Adams Temple, Texas 76501 or to a charity of your choice.