Walker

Darral Gene Walker, 78, of Rockdale died Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, at his home in Rockdale.

Memorial services were held Saturday, Oct. 20, at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Rockdale with Rev. John Seaton, Rev. Greg Nichols and Chaplain Bruce Mercer officiating.

Mr. Walker was born March 13, 1940, in Poteet to A.D. and Pinkie (Cuthbertson) Walker.

At age 2, he moved with his family to a farm near La Pryor.

Mr. Walker attended schools in La Pryor and graduated as valedictorian of his high school class in 1958.

He attended Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde, University of Houston, and then pharmacy school at the University of Texas in Austin beginning in 1960.

He graduated in 1965 and went to work at Prewitt Drug Store in Rock-dale and bought the pharmacy four years later. He bought Skrivanek Pharmacy and combined these into Walker-Burnett Pharmacy and Clinic Pharmacy. In 2000, Mr. Walker sold Clinic Pharmacy, and he and his wife moved to Katy, where he was involved with Katy Medical Complex Pharmacy. He retired from there in 2012, with 47 years of being a pharmacist.

He married Gloria Hornick on Aug. 6, 1966, in Houston.

During their 52 plus years of marriage, they enjoyed their family and traveling together.

In 2014, they returned to Rockdale to be back with friends.

Mr. Walker enjoyed playing tennis, reading, oil painting, traveling and gardening.

He was involved in many organizations in Rockdale over the years, and served as mayor in the mid-1970s.

He, along with Linwood and Pauline Mehaffey, were instrumental in acquiring the Patterson estate to expand the current Lucy Hill-Patterson Memorial Library.

Mr. Walker was a member of St. John’s United Methodist Church, where he served on the administrative board and the Methodist Men.

He was also a member of Lion’s Club.

Mr. Walker was preceded in death by his parents and six siblings.

Survivors are his wife, Gloria Walker of Rockdale; daughters, Delaine Evans and husband Marcus and their children, Macey and Marley of Katy, and Vickie Walker and her children, Alex and Austin of Austin; a son, Grant Walker and wife Danielle and their children, Jackson and Ainsley of Austin; and a sister, Shirley and Dr. Jolyn English of Devine; also, many nieces and nephews.

Donations may be made to Compassion International, P.O. Box 65000, Colorado Spring, CO 80962; Kindred Hospice, 2626 S. 37th St., Suite B, Temple, TX 76504; or St. John’s United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 168, Rockdale, TX 76567.