Memorials › Jess Richards Walker

Jess Richards Walker

30 Oct 1910 – 13 Jul 1997

Birth30 Oct 1910
Death13 Jul 1997
CemeteryPleasant Grove City Cemetery
Pleasant Grove , Utah County , Utah , USA
Added by[email protected] on 08 Jan 2022
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/77908

Bio

Jess R. Walker, a young 86, died July 13, 1997 at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. He was born October 30, 1910, in Lindon, Utah to Robert and Mary Aretta "May" Richards Walker. He married Elaine DeGraff, December 23, 1937--they would have celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary this year. He is survived by four children, Robert (Judy); Steve (Ardith); Lynn (Linda); and Marda (Cloyd) Atwood. Jess is older brother to Don of Orem; Maxine (Dan) Peterson, late of American Fork; Louise (Dale) Deveraux of American Fork; and Marilyn (Gene) Holman of Orem. He is patriarch to 22 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren. Jess Walker was a man of many facets-missionary to the Central States, semiprofessional baseball center-fielder, BYU graduate, field manager for Utah/Idaho Sugar Company from Delta to Toppenish, Washington, grocery store manager and butcher at Heber Mercantile, Alpine School District Public Relations director, president of the Alpine Education Association, chairman of both the Utah County Republican and Democratic parties, founder and long-term president of the Alpine Credit Union. But his happiest contribution to lives around him may have been teaching Pleasant Grove High School seniors English and lessons of life many will never forget. Jess taught us that "the Gods are more willing to help in terms of preparation than in terms of deliverance," that "the same bumps that bump little apples to the bottom bump big apples to the top," that we ought not to try to get "to Salt Lake by way of Pelican Point," that "repentance means you need to change or you're a dead duck," that "people are basically good," that "life is more than sex and fried potatoes," that "love is an art." Jess lived that art of love. He loved the people around him; he loved life. Whether growing prize-winning roses and dahlias, teaching Gospel Doctrine for nearly thirty years, or singing "Whispering Hope" with his beloved Elaine at funerals, Jess Walker in his living and his loving, as he himself insisted, would "never settle for less than the best." Funeral services will be held Thursday, July 17, 1997 at 11 a.m. in the Manila Stake Center, 105 West 1800 North, Pleasant Grove. Friends may call Wednesday evening from 6-8 p.m. at Olpin Family Mortuary, 500 South 300 East, Pleasant Grove and at the church on Thursday one hour prior to services. Burial will be in the Pleasant Grove City Cemetery. Deseret News, July 15, 1997, Page B5

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