WAYCROSS — William Walker, Jr. (“Junior”) passed peacefully on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at the J. Olan Jones Health Care Center, Baptist Village Retirement Community at the age of 83.
Walker was born to William Bernard Walker, Sr. and Ola Maude Dixon Walker on August 20, 1940, in Blackshear. He lived with his family in Blackshear until 1999 when he moved with his mother to Baptist Village Retirement Community. Walker actually had to convince his mother that he wanted to move to Baptist Village. He had visited once, but immediately decided he wanted to live there.
Walker
Walker and his mom lived in a two-bedroom villa on the campus where they took long walks every day, visiting with other residents and workers. Walker decided he wanted to meet more people, so he took on the task of visiting the dining hall to pick up weekly menus and delivered them to villa residents.
Walker literally got to know everyone in his first year living there! His family organized a surprise 60th birthday party the following year and everyone came. Everyone knew Walker and he was really surprised.
When Walker’s mom suffered a serious fall in 2002 and had to move to the Nursing facility at Baptist Village to receive more personal care, Walker moved into the Assisted Living facility. And again, he made friends with everyone there, working on puzzles, participating in all activities, and helping with other residents. Walker lived there for 14 years and loved it.
In 2014, Walker moved to the Nursing facility. Once again, he got to know everyone. He kept everyone informed on three things every day — the weather, the Atlanta Braves, and the University of Georgia Bulldogs. He loved attending activities like bingo, trivia, and exercise classes, so much so that the staff called him “Mr. Baptist Village.” Walker loved people and they all loved Walker. Quite a legacy for a developmentally disabled adult?
Walker is survived by his sister, Mary Jan Walker Eichelberger of Atlanta; and sister-in-law, Velma Sue Crawford of Walker, Tenn.; nieces, Linda Walker Jones, Joy Blount, Katherine Eichelberger Decker; nephews, Robby Walker, Chris Walker, Ted Eichelberger, Tom Eichelberger, Karl Eichelberger, Steve Eichelberger; and many great and great-great nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 14 in Blackshear City Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Baptist Village Retirement Community, 2650 Carswell Avenue, Waycross. Baptist Village is an amazing, caring community. They have done so much for both Walker and his mom.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing online at www.milesodumfuneralhome. com.
