Obituary of Margaret Ann Walker

Margaret Anne Walker, 97, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ early Friday morning, June 12 at Plaza West in Sun City Center, Florida. Margaret was born on May 23, 1912 in Duluth, Minnesota. She lived in Duluth until she graduated from Central High School and attended Lindenwood College in St. Charles, MO, the University of Minnesota, and the Pennsylvania School of Occupational Therapy in Philadelphia. She was a member of the Alpha Phi Sorority. She met her husband, Harry Carl Walker of Elgin, IL in 1932 while he was working with the Army Corps of Engineers in Duluth. Over Christmas of 1933, they eloped in Florida and in May 1934 they were married by the Pastor in her parents' home in Duluth. In the spring of 1940, Margaret committed her life to Jesus during a guest sermon at First Presbyterian Church in Duluth preached by New York City's Dr. Donald Barnhouse, one of the pioneers of radio preaching. His teaching on Romans 1:16 NKJV, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation to every one who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek," affected her deeply as she realized that she had been ashamed of the gospel. Afterwards she couldn't wait to get a Bible and begin reading it, and her zeal for the Lord and His Good News continued for seven decades. During World War II, when her husband was an officer in the U. S. Army, she cared for her family at more than a dozen army bases and in Duluth. She raised four sons. Once her sons were off to college, in the early 1970s, Margaret turned her hobby of collecting antiques into a business in Duluth doing estate sales. She also volunteered at St. Lukes Hospital and the Union Gospel Mission. In fall 1979, Margaret and Harry retired to Sun City Center, Florida from Duluth. Harry went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in 1983 after 49 years of marriage. Margaret continued living in her home on Nutmeg Place until 1992 when she moved to an apartment in Freedom Plaza, a Sun City Center retirement community. Margaret was blessed with a sharp mind and a great sense of humor rarely passing up an opportunity for a pun or snappy comeback. Last year when one of her sons mentioned that someone was hanging on by a thread, she replied, "Well, who's needling him?!" Margaret is survived by four sons: H. Carl, Jr. (Dorothy) Walker of Kalamazoo, MI; W. Ray (Pamela) Walker of Loveland, CO; Robert (Janet) Walker of Austin, TX; and Samuel (Judith) Walker of Sheboygan, WI; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; two sisters: Elizabeth Roberts of Winter Park, FL; Ruth Humphrey of Grand Marais, MN; and one brother: Edward Atkins of Manistee, MI. Two brothers predeceased her: Samuel Atkins of Duluth and William Atkins of Highpoint, NC. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts maybe made to two of Margaret's favorite charities: Habitat for Humanity, 121 Habitat Street, Americus, GA 31709 and Wycliffe Bible Translators, PO Box 628211, Orlando, FL 32862. Her family extends their deepest gratitude to the staff at Freedom Plaza for their watchful eye and care over the years, the nurses and staff at Plaza West including Martha Ruiz who held Margaret's hand as she passed away, to Hope Waggoner, the nurse at Life Path Hospice, and in particular to Margaret's wonderful caregivers who enabled her to continue living in her apartment over the past few years of her life before moving to Plaza West in April 2009: Lynn Lakin, Sharon Meneley Crabb, Gerry Cook, Joyce Bashlor, Jill Anne Caudill, Peggy Hatcher, Ruth Newberry, Rhoda Querin, Joyce Wincenciak, Marcia Stone, Donna Robinson, Ida Buchanan, Mary Ware, Lorraine Johnson, and especially Mary Tidwell of Ruskin who helped Margaret for almost 11 years and about whom Margaret repeatedly said, "You're the daughter I never had." Margaret's memorial service was held on Wednesday, July 1 at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, Sun City Center, FL. Burial will take place at a future date at Forest Hill Cemetery in Duluth, MN. Condolences may be e-mailed to Carl Walker at "cwalker187@aol.com".