Howard Walker

Howard (H.O.) Walker Jr., age 93, of Abilene, passed from this life on July 21, 2014 surrounded by family. Funeral services will be held Friday July 25, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at The Hamil Family Funeral Home Chapel, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene, with Billy Crim officiating. Interment will follow in Elmwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be held Thursday evening from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home. H.O. was born January 27, 1921 in Livingston, Alabama to the late Howard Sr. and Maude Walker. He joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1939 and served until 1960 during which he served in both WWII and The Korean War. After retiring from the armed service he served 25 years in the Civil Service. He married Sally Anna (Polly) Kruse on April 25, 1941 in Meridian, Mississippi. Together they had 4 children, Victor, Kathleen (Kathy), Donna, and Cynthia (Cindy). In 1950 H.O. surrendered to preach and attended New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, was ordained to preach on September 22, 1957, and went on to graduate from William Carey College in Hattisburg, Mississippi in 1962. H.O. and family moved around while he pastored at churches in Alabama and then finally settling in Texas before the passing of his wife Polly in 1974. In 1975 H.O. met and married Ruth Andrews West who was a very loving and caring grandmother and helped H.O. serve throughout the rest of his ministry. H.O. was preceded in death by his first wife, Polly; three sisters, Kathleen Walker, Geneva Lamont, and Marjorie Yates; three great grandchildren; and one nephew. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Walker of Abilene; son, Victor Walker and wife Donna of Arkansas; three daughters, Kathy Renfro and Johnny Lopez of Abilene, Donna Fiedler of Abilene, and Cynthia Chaney and husband Bobby of Abilene; stepchildren, Leo and Margaret Waldrop, Wesley West, Brenda Clay Cockrell and families; 14 grandchildren; 25 great grandchildren; and 8 great great grandchildren; a niece and nephew Pat and Rusty; and numerous other extended family. The family would like to thank the staff at Wisteria Place, Hendrick Hospice staff, and Katherine Strickland P.A. for the loving care they provided to H.O. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.