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John R. Walker, Jr.

Obituary

Class of 1959

Oct. 18, 1941 – Jan. 18, 2019

John R. Walker Jr. of Weiser, Idaho, passed away Friday, Jan. 18, 2019.

John was born to Raleigh and Alma Walker, Oct. 18, 1941 in Ontario, Ore.

He was raised in Weiser and Rupert, Idaho, graduating from Weiser High School in 1959.

After a short experience at the Flying “B” Ranch on the middle fork of the Salmon River, John journeyed to Santa Monica, Calif., to attend Santa Monica City College. In February 1960, John enlisted in the U.S. Air Force.

Following a two-year assignment at Tachikawa Airfield, Japan, John returned to Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.

After retiring from active duty service, John enlisted in the Idaho Air National Guard, July 6, 1964. John’s unique legacy in the National Guard included accomplishing the rank of Senior Master Sgt., and ultimately retiring as a Lt. Col and Deputy Commander of Support in 1992 after completing over 32 years of service.

While serving at Gowen Field in the Idaho Air National Guard, John met his future wife, Mary Vogel. They married Jan. 11, 1975.

John, already the father of two children from a previous marriage, was blessed with two more children during their 44-year marriage.

After John’s retirement from the military, the family returned to Weiser, Idaho, where he became the Washington County Director of Economic Development. His success in that role, as well as his time serving as the City Clerk for the City of Weiser, culminated in his election as President of the Weiser City Council, and ultimately the four-year Mayor of Weiser, Idaho.

John was fiercely loyal to the friends he made throughout high school, in the military and while working for the City of Weiser. He cherished those relationships for the duration of his life and took great pride in the wide breadth of service he gave to the federal, state, county and city governments.

The motto of the 124th Fighter Wing, “first class or not at all,” drove John’s extraordinary success in the military, his civilian careers, and as a husband, father, brother and dedicated friend.

John is survived by his wife Mary, and three of his four children, Jody (Gary), Renee (Sean), Kyle (Taylor), his brother Jim, six grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his son Stacy (Lauren), his brother Gentry (Albertine), his sister and brother-in-law Doris and Keith Forsdick, and his special companion, Heidi the yellow lab.

Services will be held on Saturday, Jan. 26 at the Vendome Events Center in Weiser, Idaho, at 1 p.m. His final resting place will be at the Idaho Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery at a later date.

Donations in remembrance may be made to the Snake River Heritage Center Museum/Hooker Hall, P. O. Box 307, Weiser, ID 83672, where John spent many memorable days.

Arrangements under the direction of Thomason Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.lienkaemper-thomason.com

From

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Former Weiser mayor remembered as a hometown booster

Mayor John Walker

Former Weiser Mayor John Walker, Jr., who died on Friday at age 77, was remembered by many in the community for his tireless efforts to make the city where he grew up a better place.

Walker was a Weiser native and graduate of Weiser High School. He served in the U.S. Air Force and Idaho Air National Guard for over 32 years, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

He met and married Mary Vogel in 1975 while stationed at Gowen Field, where he served for 28 years with the Air Guard. After his retirement from the military, the family returned to Weiser in 1994, a place he called the best city anywhere.

Walker held the position of Washington County economic development director, working to attract business to the area.

He also worked for five years as the City of Weiser clerk and administrator.

As clerk, he was able to secure grant funds for city revitalization projects in the downtown area and added Veterans Park on State Street.

He was also involved in the planning for the Vendome Events Center and implementing many programs for city employees.

Former two-term City Council member Barbara Barber said she knew Walker when he worked as an economic development official for the county prior to his election to city government.

She recalled he was “gung ho” about Weiser and all it offered and could offer.

“He was so happy to move back here. All the time that I knew him he was a Weiser booster 100 percent,” she said.

Walker got involved in city government when he won a seat on the City Council in November of 2003 and took office in January of 2004.

Four years later, he ran for mayor against the incumbent and won in November of 2007.

Walker said he was neither a Republican nor a Democrat as mayor and cared far more about people than politics.

He was a proponent of growth in Weiser, recalling the busy downtown Weiser of his youth. The alternative, he once said, was “to die on the vine.”

Growth should be managed through proper ordinances, sound infrastructure and adequate police and fire protection. Weiser should be a community that welcomes retirees, businesses and industry.

The Community Fishing Pond in Weiser was a project championed by Walker, who worked with the Indianhead Flyfishers, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Union Pacific Railroad and others to get the project off the ground.

The fishing pond, which was completed in 2009, fulfilled a goal he set when he entered office in 2008 for his first term as mayor.

“It was really a community effort,” Walker said at the time.

Walker sought to honor veterans and worked to establish Veterans Park on State Street. Every July 4th, veterans paraded to the park, where a barbeque would be offered to the public. Walker was able to get the Air National Guard to do a flyover on the holiday.

Later, Walker was given a Veteran Volunteer Award from the Elks National Veterans Service Commission for his volunteer work with the July 4th activities. Walker was one of two recipients to receive the award in 2012.

He opted not to seek re-election to a second term as mayor in November of 2011. After he stepped aside, he encouraged Diana Thomas to run for the office. She did and won, becoming the first woman to serve as Weiser’s mayor.

Thomas said Walker was a mentor to her and spent time educating her on city government before she took office in January of 2012. He had an institutional knowledge about the history of Weiser.

“He was just a good guy,” she said.

As his four-year term as mayor was winding down, Walker reflected on what the position had meant to him.

He had the honor of meeting important people, from governors to senators to representatives.

He met business leaders and high-ranking military personnel and relished those opportunities.

“I must admit that the best memory is driving down a Weiser street and having a Weiser kid wave and say, ‘Hi Mayor,’” he said in 2012.

Even after he stepped down from the position of mayor, Walker wasn’t quite done with his involvement with city government.

In July of 2012, he was appointed to serve the last 16 months of a member of the council who resigned before his term was up. His last council meeting was Jan. 13, 2014, when the new council members were sworn in.

Current city council member Dan Randleman served on the council during the time Walker was mayor. He said he respected Walker’s opinion on city matters. They would also visit at length not only on city issues but also life experiences they had growing up in Weiser.

Randleman said he worked with six mayors during his time on the Weiser City Council. Walker brought vision, leadership and honesty to the job of mayor.

Walker’s many years in the military taught him leadership skills he brought to city government.

Walker got along with city employees. Every year, he would present awards to the supervisor of the year and employee of the year. Those who were recognized were given a red lettermen’s jacket to show off their Weiser school pride.

“John’s leadership skills worked for the personnel, the council members and most of all for the community and the citizens of Weiser,” Randleman said. “His honesty was a great help in communicating on issues for the good of all people, openly and fairly.”

A service for Walker is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Vendome Events Center in Weiser at 1 p.m. He will be buried at the Idaho Veterans Cemetery.

From Weiser Signal-American – Wed, January 23, 2019

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