George Albert Walker (1895 - 1985)

Born 3 Jul 1895 in Aylmer, Elgin, Ontario, Canada

Ancestors

Died 19 Feb 1985 at age 89 in Pasadena, Los Angeles, California, United States

Biography

George Walker was born in Aylmer, Ontario, Canada, the son of John Henry Walker and Minniehaha Martin. He was an advertising man and was made an offer by a friend to come to Arizona and work with the Indians on the reservation. He became a minister of the Presbyterian Church and co-founded Cook Christian Training School for the Indians.

George married Ruth Berquist March 24, 1926 ^[1] in Phoenix, Arizona^[2]. He had one son, Graham Walker, who became Vice-President of the 1st National Bank in Phoenix.

George and his wife retired to Pasadena, California. George and Ruth both passed away in Pasadena. He had two grandchildren George Paul and Janet Marie.

note: unknown burial place (may be Pasadena or Phoenix. Memorial Service held in Pasadena, California.

I Vicki Norman knew George Walker very well. He is my grandmother's brother. He was a wonderful man. He became a Presbyterian minster, lived on the reservation and was involved in Cook Christian Training School for the Hopi Indians in Phoenix, Arizona. He helped and inspired many native American Indians. At his death, the elders in the Hopi community traveled to Pasadena, Ca to pay tribute to him. He and his wife Ruth lived in a retirement community in CA for retired Presbyterian ministers. His wife died a couple of years before he passed away. I will always remember him for his kindness and willingness to see the good in everyone.

Tribute

In June of 1924, a young traveling salesman, a Canadian by birth, who had been sent to the southwest for health reasons, united with First Church. He soon found himself teaching a Sunday School class, working with a Boy Scout troop and eventually involved in a Christian Endeavor Convention. This young man was George Albert Walker. He was called upon to settle some housing problems concerning the Pima Indian delegation to the convention and made his first contact with "our red brothers". Soon after, George was invited to become assistant to the missionary, the Rev. Dirk Lay, at Sacaton. Thereupon, with his bride Ruth, he was dismissed to the First Presbyterian Church of Sacaton to begin a forty-year ministry as a missionary to the Indians of the Southwest. George undertook his theological training through correspondence courses with The 5an Francisco Theological Seminary and was ordained in October 1928. In 1966 he received an Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree. Dr. Walker subsequently served as president of Cook Christian Training School until his retirement in 1968. Countless numbers of lives, in and out of the church, were touched through his example of Christian love, concern and sacrifice. A memorial tribute was paid to him on February 19, 1985, a full, rich life of 89 years.

• Excerpt from "A History of the First Presbyterian Church Phoenix, Arizona" 1879 – 1985

Name

Name: George Albert Walker^[3][4]

Birth

Date: 3 Jul 1895

Place: Aylmer, Ontario, ^[5]Canada^[3][4]

Marriage

Spouse: Ruth Amanda Berquist^[4][6]

Date: March 24, 1926 ^[2]

Place: Phoenix, Arizona ^[2]

Death

Death: Funeral Services by Hopi Indians from Cook Christian Training School

Date: 19 Feb 1985

Place: Pasadena, CA^[3]

Immigration

Immigration from: Aylmer, Elgin, Ontario, Canada

Arrival Date: 1923^[4]

Arrival Place:

Final destination: Phoenix, Arizona

Residence

Date: 1930

Place: Casa Grande, Pinal, Arizona^[4]

Date: 1940

Place: Phoenix, Arizona

Other information: George Walker is 44 and living with his wife Ruth and their son Graham Walker (7)^[7]

Note

Note: George and Ruth Walker

http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=9ccde9a5-563a-42f9-a1ee-076d41a65083&tid=29961448&pid=73

Note: Ministry of George Albert Walker

http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=document&guid=bd522832-1841-4f3e-9ac4-beff609e91fa&tid=29961448&pid=73

Note: Phoenix Indian School

http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=document&guid=b79d7c92-a64b-43e0-90d8-cabdb8fae1d0&tid=29961448&pid=73

Sources

1. ↑ 1930 Census
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} George Albert Walker Marriage Certificate
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Social Security Administration Number: 527-50-9721; Issue State: Arizona; Issue Date: 1955. Social Security Administration Death Index Birth date: 3 Jul 1895 Birth place: Death date: Feb 1985 Death place: Pasadena, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} 1930; Census Place: Casa Grande, Pinal, Arizona; Roll: ; Page: ; Enumeration District: ; Image: . Note: 1930 US Federal Census Birth date: abt 1896 Birth place: Canada Residence date: 1930 Residence place: Casa Grande, Pinal, Arizona Arrival date: 1923 Arrival place
5. ↑ George Albert Walker, Arizona Naturalization Records
6. ↑ Personal knowledge Vicki Norman
7. ↑ Year: 1940; Census Place: , Pinal, Arizona; Roll: T627_113; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 11-17A. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.

• Social Security Death Index Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011.Original data - Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration.Original data: Social Security Administration.

• 1930 United States Federal Census Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930.

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Walker-6898 created through the import of Vicki Norman family tree v2 (3).ged on Aug 1, 2012 by Vicki Norman. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Vicki and others.