Gene Walker, 92, passed way July 13, 2019 in Lenexa, Kansas at Silvercrest College View where he lived the last year and a half of his life. Gene was born in 1927 in Kansas City, Kansas where he lived for nearly his entire life. Gene graduated from Washington Rural High School in 1944, and quickly joined the US Navy during World War II. He was on a destroyer, the Willard Keith, headed to Japan when the war ended. After the war, Gene returned home to Kansas City, Kansas and married his high school sweetheart Darlene Harvey. They had two daughters, Nancy and Susan. After growing up on 86th street, Gene moved all the way to 87th street to raise his new family. He wound up living in that house for 59 years. He started his own business, Walker TV Service located near 85th and Parallel. Gene did service calls for decades in homes all over KC to fix their TV’s, and he became known as TV Walker. Gene and his wife Darlene were also active in the VFW in KCK. When he retired, Gene and Darlene lived in KCK in the summers, and wintered in Mesa, Arizona where they could enjoy warm weather, and play golf and shuffleboard all winter long.
Gene was a life-long member of the White Church Christian Church. After Darlene passed away in 1994, he eventually met Rose Franz in Mesa, Arizona. Gene and Rose spent 24 wonderful years together and they continued to be a loving couple until his death.
Gene is preceded in death by his wife Darlene, his parents Oddra and Leslie, as well as his brother Les, and sisters Eleanor Taylor and Ruth Woodhead. Gene is survived by his loving companion Rose Franz, his daughter Nancy Lewis and her husband Mike, his daughter Susan Docking and her husband Gordon, four grandchildren, Kelly Docking Bracco (Adam), Matthew Lewis (Nicole), Patrick Lewis (Katie) and Blake Docking. He also has eight great grandchildren, and is survived by his sister in law Lola Walker.
Gene loved his family, loved his work, loved his yard, loved playing golf, loved watching the Royals, and was incredibly handy and could fix anything with his pocket knife. In his retirement Gene and his golf buddies were regulars at the Sunflower Hills Golf Course in KCK and he even had a hole-in-one at the age of 83.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Olathe Special Olympics program, via Olathe Parks and Rec, 100 E. Santa Fe, Olathe, KS, 66061 or White Church Christian Church, 2200 N. 85th St, Kansas City, KS 66109.
