JOHN E. WALKER, III, age 61 passed away Friday, August 20, 2004.
Born on October 14, 1942 in Galveston, Texas, Johnny enjoyed life to the fullest and has left a broad and lasting legacy of conservation, philanthropy, and education. Johnny, an avid hunter and sportsman had extensive commitments to efforts of conservation of wildlife and other natural resources. He served as Texas State Chairman of Ducks Unlimited beginning in 1976 and rose to the position of President of Ducks Unlimited, Incorporated in 1990 and was named Chairman of the Board in 1997. He served several terms on the Board of Directors of Ducks Unlimited, Canada and was current President of Ducks Unlimited de Mexico. Johnny was also a member of the Texas Water Foundation and an advisory member to the Agriculture and Wildlife Research and Management Advisory Committee and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Bird Advisory Board.
Johnny, a self-employed manager of family investments and real estate, graduated from St. Stephen's Episcopal High School and was a 1965 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor's of Business Administration. He was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. From 1967 until 1980, he was an Investment Analyst and Assistant Vice President of Private Placements for American National Insurance Company in Galveston, Texas.
Johnny's civic commitments in Galveston have been numerous. He was the current Chairman of the Board of Regents of the Galveston Community College District. He first became a member of the Board of Regents in 1997 and was elected Chairman in May 2002. He was also a member of the UTMB Development Board, the UTMB School of Nursing Advisory Board, and served as both a director and treasurer for the 1894 Grand Opera House, the Rosenberg Library Association and the Grace Church Foundation. Johnny served as a trustee of the William Temple Foundation and as a board member and President of both the Trinity Episcopal School Board and the Galveston Artillery Club. Until the time of his death, he served as a member of the Board of Directors of The Center for Transportation and Commerce/Railroad Museum that he joined in 1994.
He was preceded in death by his parents Col. John E. Walker, Jr., U.S. Army (Ret.) & Libbie Thompson Stansell; grandparents Congressman Clark W. Thompson and Libbie Moody Thompson; and uncle Clark W. Thompson, Jr. Johnny is survived by his loving wife of 25 years, Susan; daughters Margaret (Meg) Williams Walker and husband Craig Allen Janek and Libbie Walker Ansell & husband William Crane Ansell; son Sean Christopher Walker and wife Courtney Walker; grandchildren Alexandra Paloma Walker, Sage Christopher Walker, Libbie Lee Ansell and Walker Denke Williams Janek; step-mother Simone Walker; half-sisters Anne Walker Buld, Florence Walker LeCompt and Beatrice Walker; cousins Ann Hilbert, Robert L. Moody, Sr., W.L. Moody IV and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at J. Levy & Bro. Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 at 10:00 A.M. at Grace Episcopal Church, with Reverend Paul Wehner officiating. Interment will follow at Galveston Memorial Park Cemetery in Hitchcock, Texas. Pallbearers will be Dr. Larry Micheletti, Dr. Harry Kelso, Lewis Rosen, Dr. Don Prough, Rogers Hoyt, Jr. and Tom Farmer. Honorary pallbearers will be Jimmy Dunks, Glenn Ab Walters, Vandy Anderson, Gene Henry, Julius Wall, Don Rollins, Bill Willsey, Matt Connolly, W.E. (Rusty) Verkin and Richard Kowallik.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Ducks Unlimited, Inc., One Waterfowl Way, Memphis, Tenn. 38120, Grace Episcopal Memorial Fund, 1115 36th Street, Galveston, Texas 77550, Galveston College Universal Access Fund, 4015 Avenue Q, Galveston, Texas 77550 or to the charity of one's choice.
Johnny surrounded himself with countless heartfelt friends and will be deeply missed by all.
J. LEVY & BRO. FUNERAL HOME
Published in Houston Chronicle on Aug. 24, 2004