OBITUARY – William Thomas Walker Jr. January 17, 1919 – February 16, 2009

GOD be praised, for the life of W.T. (Bill) Walker, jr., born in San Saba County on January 17, 1919 and died on February 16, 2009. He is preceded in death by his parents, William Thomas Walker and Pearle Jordan Walker, his sisters, Opal Williams and husband I.B., Garnet Branch and husband Gene.

As a young boy, Bill was saved hearing the illustration of the one who carved a little sailboat and sailed it out on the water. The boat disappeared and was found by another. The creator and owner bought it from the one who found it, thereby owning it twice, as it is with the Lord God and His believers.

Later Bill attended and graduated from A&M University as did his father. With a degree in horticulture, he went to Panama to manage a banana plantation for two years until he received notice of the war. By train, bus, and car, he returned home to accept the call to join the Navy. He was trained as an aviator and served as a navigator stationed on Atu in the Aleutian Islands. He remained in the Naval Reserve ferrying planes and then as a Veteran’s Agriculture teacher until 1954.

After WWII, he went to Crystal City, Texas to consider the job of planting a pecan orchard. There he met and married Ola Mae Rutledge. He built her a house in Carrizo Springs, where they reared and nurtured 3 children. They are Donna Elizabeth Mogford, Jackie Lane Nussbaum, and William Thomas (Bill) Walker III. He spent his years as an industrious and missions-minded Sunday School teacher, duster pilot, farmer, and rancher. He enjoyed working on something that needed to be done, growing and grafting pecan trees, skiing, and a good 42 game.

He is survived by his wife, Ola Mae Walker, his 3 children and their spouses, John Larry Mogford, George F. Nussbaum, and Kathie Trull Walker, 5 grandchildren, Justin and Jordan Nussbaum, Shane Walker and wife, Brandi, Jeremy Walker and wife Krystle, Steven Walker and wife Britny, and 2 great-grandchildren, Ace Walker and Shaina Elizabeth Nussbaum.

He will be buried at the foot of his grandfather, A.J. Walker, in Harmony Ridge Cemetery, San Saba County on Friday, February 20, 2009.

His home coming with the Lord, family, and friends, is celebrated with his 90 years of life by his immediate family, in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends who loved him.