December 17, 1938 – November 8, 2013

Donald Andrew “Don” Walker, 74, of Orrick, Mo., passed away suddenly Friday, November 8, 2013 at his home.

Don as he was best known, was born on December 17, 1938 in Kansas City, Mo., to Morris Andrew Walker and Philomena Ann (Berger) Walker. He had lived his earlier years in Kansas City and attended elementary school there. He later attended junior high school and most of his high school at Camden School in Camden, Mo., before it closed. He finished his last year of high school and graduated from Orrick High School in 1957. He had lived most of his life in the Camden and Orrick areas. On September 1, 1961 he was united in marriage to Deanna Joyce Thompson at the Orrick Christian Church. Don had worked as a pressman for Percy Kent Bag Company in Kansas City for a number of years. He also worked for the Allis-Chalmbers Plant in Independence, and for Pioneer Container Corp. in North Kansas City as a lead pressman and retired from there in 2004. After his retirement, he worked as a people greeter at the Richmond Walmart for seven years.

Don was a survivor of the January 24, 1967 Orrick tornado. He was critically injured when his house was destroyed by the storm as he slept. He was carried by the storm some 100 yards from where the house stood, and was dumped along the hillside. He was also an avid gardner and loved to tend to his garden and yard. He loved animals, especially his dogs, Callie and Clyde. He also loved to fish and he often was seen walking the roadways around Orrick picking up discarded cans. He loved his family and the time he spent with them. Don was a member of the Orrick Assembly of God Church

He was preceded in death by his parents, Morris Andrew and Philomena Walker.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Deanna Joyce Walker of the home; daughter and son-in-law, Stacy and Dwane Lewallen of Richmond, Mo.; son, Michael Andrew Walker of Overland Park, Kans.; two brothers and a sister-in-law, Morris Junior Walker of Lexington, Mo., and Marvin Lee and Beverly Walker of Richmond, Mo.; sister, Betty Louise Rogers of Camden, Mo.; his grandchildren, Ashley Dwane and Jennifer Lewallen of Grandview, Mo., Aaron Michael Lewallen, serving with the U.S. Navy in Okinawa, Japan, Harrison Andrew Walker, Hayden Lee Walker and Zacheri Weston Walker, all of Overland Park, Kans. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, November 13, 2013 at the Gowing Funeral Home in Orrick.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, November 14, 2013 at the Gowing Funeral Home in Orrick, with the Rev. Alan Myers officiating. Burial will be in South Point Cemetery near Orrick.

Memorials are suggested to the Orrick Assembly of God Church.