LLOYD WALKER

July 17, 2019

LAKE CHARLES, La.- Services were held at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 11, at the Johnson Funeral Home Chapel for Lloyd “Smokey” Brooks Walker, 96, Lake Charles, who died Sunday, July 7, 2019, at his residence. Rev. Alan Weishampel officiated. A graveside service was held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, at Reed Cemetery in Guy.

Survivors include sons, Shane Walker and wife Denise, Lake Charles and Van Walker and wife Sharon, Little Rock, Ark.; daughter, Joy Bollich and husband Mike, Mowata; stepdaughter, Darlene Chaumont and husband William, Oberlin; the mother of his children, Elaine Reed Walker, Oakdale; grandchildren, Julia Walker, Jude Walker, Keenan Walker, London Walker, Payton Walker, Hailey Walker, Brandon Dupont, Mindy Harrington, David Ridgeway, Gretchen Godeaux, Byron Manuel, Heather Manuel, Stephen Manuel, Laci Manuel, Jon Casey, Julie Cardenas and Jacob Rhodes; numerous great-grandchildren and sisters, Leona Macklin, Kansas City, Mo., Shirley McIntyre, Lockwood, Mo. and Ruthie Hendrickson, Carthage, Mo.

He was preceded in death by daughters, Deirdre Jayne Walker, Shara Jane Walker and Kay Aguillard; sons, Dyke Miller Walker and Steve Aguillard; brothers, Leonard Walker and Gene Walker and his companion, Mary Casey.

Mr. Walker was born Dec. 4, 1922, in Golden City, Mo., to Roscoe and Nellie (Bush) Walker. Upon graduating high school, where he was a star athlete in all sports, he went to work on a dairy farm. When the U.S. joined in World War II, he quickly enlisted in the Army Air Corp. He completed basic training in Atlantic City, NJ and from there was stationed at Chennault Air Force Base in Lake Charles, to train on the B-26 Bomber. During WWII he was a member of the 432nd Bombardment Squadron, 17th Bombardment Group in the European Campaign. He flew 62 missions as a tailgunner/engineer on a B-26 Bomber. His missions were in Northern Africa, Corsica, Sardinia, Southern Italy and Dijon, France in the Battle of the Bulge, bombing ahead of General Patton. He was awarded “The Air Medal” by the President of the United States and the “Croix de Guerre avec Palme” by the French government.

Once out of the service he returned to southwest Louisiana and went to work as a machinist at Cities Service, working his way up to maintenance supervisor. He retired from Cities in 1982 and later went to work for Precision Services. He was a charter member and King of the Krewe of Cosmos and he helped design Frasch Golf Course.

When he finally retired for good he moved to Weslaco, Texas, to live among friends at Leisure World retirement village as a “Winter Texan”. During his retirement he was active in all sports and excelled in the Senior Olympics, taking top honors every year.

One year ago, in a devastating flood, he lost his home in Texas, so he decided to return to Lake Charles to live with his family. He became a member of Eastridge Baptist Church and quickly grew to love the wonderful people there. He joined the weekly bean bag baseball league and this March participated in the Senior Olympics held at McNeese, taking home many gold and silver medals.

He was an avid golfer his whole life, making multiple holes in one. He was a 32nd degree Mason and Shriner. He was also a member of the VFW and the American Legion.