Page County IA Archives Obituaries.....Walker, Leslie D. 1957 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ia/iafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nettie Mae Lucas http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00015.html#0003602 July 17, 2005, 12:43 pm Unknown Newspaper Leslie D. Walker "Founder of Walker Funeral Home, first residential funeral home in southwest Iowa" 1891 - 1957 Funeral service were held at the First Methodist Church Wednesday at 2 pm for Leslie D. Walker, 66, prominent Clarinda funeral director who died unexpectedly of a cerebral hemorrhage in a local physician's office Saturday morning. Although he had a heart ailment, Mr. Walker was in good health otherwise and active in conducting his funeral home and other business interests. He had complained of a stomach upset Friday night but felt well enough to go to the physician's office the following morning. Born on Aug. 5, 1891, in Page County, the son of Horace and Mary Walker, Leslie worked on the farm four miles east of Clarinda and for Farmers Union Shipping Association following his formal schooling. In 1918 he became associated with Mac Pruitt in the furniture and funeral business. Later Mr. Walker and Wilbur Kelley entered partnership in a furniture business on the south east corner of the square. In 1921 they bought out Charlie Oats and moved into his location. Mr. Walker bought out Kelley's interest in the business. Thirty years ago he moved to the present location on E. Washington St., dropping the furniture end of the business. It is at this spot that the started the first residential funeral home in southwest Iowa. Mr. Walker received a diploma from the Hohenschuh-Carpenter School of embalming at St. Louis Mo. He held state funeral and embalmer licenses and was a member of the Iowa Funeral Directors Association and National Funeral Directors' Association. He served as page County coroner a number of years but chose not to be a candidate for re-election several years ago because of his health. He was an active member of the First Methodist Church and was a trustee. Mr. Walker also belonged to the Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges, the Kiwanis Club, of which he was a charter member, and the Chamber of Commerce. Surviving are his wife Mary; two daughters, Mrs. Loren (Mildred) Davison and Mrs. Dale (Dolores) Bellairs, both of Clarinda; two brothers, Harry R. Walker of Clarinda and Jess Walker of Napa, Calif; three sisters, Mrs. J. (Maisy) Crain of Clarinda, Mrs. George (Daisy) Schurr and Mrs. Floyd (Amy) Shum, both of Bedford; and one grandchild, Rosemary Davison of Clarinda. The Rev J. Lester Greenwood pastor of the First Methodist Church, will officiate at the services Wednesday. Interment will be in the Clarinda Cemetery, Walker Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. The body will lie in state at the funeral home from Tuesday at 4:30 pm until Wednesday at 12:30 pm. This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/iafiles/ File size: 3.1 Kb