Walker

Dr. James H. Walker, formerly of Tarentum, Fawn Township, went into the arms of his savior, Jesus, Sept. 5 in Las Vegas after a brief illness.

Dr. Walker was born Oct. 7, 1926, to Dale and Esther Hill Walker in Natrona Heights.

He graduated from Tarentum High School in 1944 and served in the U.S. Army, stationed in Italy at the end of World War II. As he often said, "It took a world war to get me out of Tarentum."

In 1947, Jim met Shirley Ann George of Springdale at a dance at the Tarentum YMCA. They were married May 29, 1948, at the First Presbyterian Church, Tarentum.

Jim and Shirley attended and graduated from Findlay College in Findlay, Ohio, and then moved to Chicago, where he graduated from the Chicago College of Optometry in 1953. Dr. Walker practiced optometry for nearly 30 years in Springdale and later opened another office in Butler, retiring in 2001.

Dr. Walker's greatest joy was his family. His children, Greg, Bill and Kathy, formed "The Walkers," a musical-comedy act that headlined in Las Vegas and around the world and made numerous TV appearances. The Walkers performed many times over the years in Pittsburgh venues.Jim will be greatly missed for his engaging personality and his glorious sense of humor.He is survived by his wife, Shirley Walker; a son, Pastor Bill Walker and Stephanie Walker; a daughter, Kathy Walker-Koch and David Koch; and granddaughters, Brittany Walker, and Savannah Koch, all of Las Vegas.The Walkers may be contacted at kathywkoch@gmail.com.