Edward James "E.J." Walker

Edward James “E. J.” Walker passed away peacefully of natural causes on August 7, 2018, with family beside him. He was born September 19, 1924, to Maurice and Tempe Walker in Uvalde TX, the first born and last surviving of 5 siblings, Elizabeth (Liz), Sam, Jo Ann, and Jack. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Bonnie Walker, sons Lee and Bryan (wife Dawn) Walker by first wife Miriam Walker, step-daughters Charlotte (husband Danny) Montgomery, and Charlene (husband Steve) Bredel, cousin John A. Walker, niece Carolyn Easley, nephews Robert Rankin, Stan, Greg, Jeff, and Lynn Walker, as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. During World War II he served as a US Army Sergeant E-5 in the 777th Independent Tank Battalion. He fought in the Battle of Leipzig earning the WWII Victory, European Theater Campaign, German Occupation, and Good Conduct medals, as well as Expert Driver and Small Arms badges. After the war E.J. studied at the University of Texas in Austin, and in 1952 began working for Phillips 66 Petroleum Company as a seismic technician, moving all over west Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and New Mexico. In 1968 he was transferred to the home office in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, as a computer programmer and later a geophysicist. An avid outdoorsman all his life, E.J. retired from Phillips in 1985 and spent the rest of his life on his beloved Tick Hill, with Bonnie by his side, gardening, fishing, tinkering, building, cultivating, hunting, fixing, canning, and tending to their “critters.” He loved his several dogs but especially Midnight, who won his heart. E. J. was active in church all his adult life as a deacon, Sunday School teacher, youth leader, and chairman of several committees. At Oak Park United Methodist Church he loved cooking church breakfasts and hosting an annual all-church BBQ cookout at Tick Hill. An excellent cook, he could make everything from goat cheese, to homemade breads, original chili, BBQ, and spaghetti sauces, venison stew, and canning everything grown in his garden. His sons, in all their travels to this day, have yet to find anyone who can grill a steak like his. A memorial service will be held at Oak Park United Methodist Church in Bartlesville, Oklahoma on Saturday, August 11, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. The family requests that instead of flowers, donations be given in his name to Oak Park United Methodist Church, 601 Brentwood Rd, Bartlesville OK 74003.

Edward James "E.J." Walker

September 19, 1924 - August 7, 2018