1927
Elizabeth
2015
Elizabeth L. Walker
March 25, 1927 — November 21, 2015
MEADVILLE, Pa. - Elizabeth "Betty" Louise Walker, 88, of Meadville, died Friday (Nov. 21, 2015) at Wesbury United Methodist Community, Meadville, where she had been in residence for one year.
She was born March 25, 1927, in Chicago, a daughter of World War I German AC.migrAC. William Zimmerman, a chemist, and Florence Allen, his nurse.
As a young girl, after her father's death from the tuberculosis pandemic and her mother's remarriage to Thomas Jenkins in Chicago, she moved alone to Meadville to live with her maternal grandmother, Margaret Remler Allen.
She married Charles J. Walker Jr., of Meadville, on Nov. 30, 1946, who preceded her in death Jan. 4, 1994. For several important years, she enjoyed the close companionship of Donald L. Rudd, of Meadville, who also preceded her in death in 2001.
She was a 1945 graduate of Meadville High School, where she was a co-founder of the Miramar Club and active in sports, the arts and the school newspaper.
Her long work life in Meadville included positions as a swimming instructor at the YWCA, sales clerk at Folk's Bakery, operator at Bell Telephone Co., hostess at the David Mead Inn and office management positions at both Philadelphia Optical Co. and Rusilko Chiropractic Center.
She was an early supporter and active participant in the Meadville Community Theater and also performed in the Meadville City Hospital Charity Follies. For many years she supported her whole family's involvement in and management of the Meadville Thunderbirds Drum and Bugle Corps, co-founded by her husband Charlie in the mid-1950s. She was also a longtime supporter of Yesterday's Sound Barbershop Chorus while Charlie was a member. Even years later, for her 80th and 85th birthday celebrations, the men of the group turned out in numbers to sing for her. She was a longtime member of St. Brigid Roman Catholic Church and a former member of its choir.
Lifelong, Betty enjoyed reading, dancing, music, theater, and encouraging and participating in all manner of occasions and events that brought good people together in the spirit of their creativity and happiness. She always offered the funniest story and the sweetest prayer in the room.
She is survived by two sons, Dr. Charles J. Walker III and his wife Etta of Olean and Jeffry W. Walker and his wife Melisa Shearson of Santa Barbara, Calif.; four grandchildren, Courtney Walker of Rochester, Lindsay Walker of Olean, Walker Zavareei of New York City and William Zavareei of Philadelphia; two half-sisters, Darlene Hunter of Meadville and Barbara Reisner of Kane, Pa.; a half-brother, Norman Jenkins of Fairbanks, Ark.
She was preceded in death by her infant daughter, Judith, on Dec. 18, 1954; her daughter-in-law, Dr. Manijeh Zavareei, in 2000 in Hartford, Conn.; a sister, Patricia Partridge of Illinois; three half-brothers, Elmer and William Zimmerman, both of Illinois, and Richard Jenkins of North Pole, Ark.; and half-sisters Eleanor, Norma, Juanita and Beatrice Jenkins.
Her two extended families allowed her to enjoy lifelong connections to many nieces and nephews all across the U.S.
The family requests that memorials be made to the new Meadville Neighborhood Center, a collaborative community effort created to promote education, workforce development, personal growth and responsibility for individuals, youth and families. Contributions in her name may be sent to Meadville Neighborhood Center, 908 Diamond Park, Meadville, PA 16335.
A memorial Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday (Dec. 12, 2015) at St. Brigid Church, 383 Arch St., Meadville with Father Johnathan Schmolt as celebrant. Interment will be in St. Brigid Cemetery. A time of remembrance and social gathering will follow at a venue to be determined.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Robert W. Waid Funeral Home Inc., 581 Chestnut St., Meadville, where memories and condolences may be shared at www.waidfuneralhome.net.
She was born March 25, 1927, in Chicago, a daughter of World War I German AC.migrAC. William Zimmerman, a chemist, and Florence Allen, his nurse.
As a young girl, after her father's death from the tuberculosis pandemic and her mother's remarriage to Thomas Jenkins in Chicago, she moved alone to Meadville to live with her maternal grandmother, Margaret Remler Allen.
She married Charles J. Walker Jr., of Meadville, on Nov. 30, 1946, who preceded her in death Jan. 4, 1994. For several important years, she enjoyed the close companionship of Donald L. Rudd, of Meadville, who also preceded her in death in 2001.
She was a 1945 graduate of Meadville High School, where she was a co-founder of the Miramar Club and active in sports, the arts and the school newspaper.
Her long work life in Meadville included positions as a swimming instructor at the YWCA, sales clerk at Folk's Bakery, operator at Bell Telephone Co., hostess at the David Mead Inn and office management positions at both Philadelphia Optical Co. and Rusilko Chiropractic Center.
She was an early supporter and active participant in the Meadville Community Theater and also performed in the Meadville City Hospital Charity Follies. For many years she supported her whole family's involvement in and management of the Meadville Thunderbirds Drum and Bugle Corps, co-founded by her husband Charlie in the mid-1950s. She was also a longtime supporter of Yesterday's Sound Barbershop Chorus while Charlie was a member. Even years later, for her 80th and 85th birthday celebrations, the men of the group turned out in numbers to sing for her. She was a longtime member of St. Brigid Roman Catholic Church and a former member of its choir.
Lifelong, Betty enjoyed reading, dancing, music, theater, and encouraging and participating in all manner of occasions and events that brought good people together in the spirit of their creativity and happiness. She always offered the funniest story and the sweetest prayer in the room.
She is survived by two sons, Dr. Charles J. Walker III and his wife Etta of Olean and Jeffry W. Walker and his wife Melisa Shearson of Santa Barbara, Calif.; four grandchildren, Courtney Walker of Rochester, Lindsay Walker of Olean, Walker Zavareei of New York City and William Zavareei of Philadelphia; two half-sisters, Darlene Hunter of Meadville and Barbara Reisner of Kane, Pa.; a half-brother, Norman Jenkins of Fairbanks, Ark.
She was preceded in death by her infant daughter, Judith, on Dec. 18, 1954; her daughter-in-law, Dr. Manijeh Zavareei, in 2000 in Hartford, Conn.; a sister, Patricia Partridge of Illinois; three half-brothers, Elmer and William Zimmerman, both of Illinois, and Richard Jenkins of North Pole, Ark.; and half-sisters Eleanor, Norma, Juanita and Beatrice Jenkins.
Her two extended families allowed her to enjoy lifelong connections to many nieces and nephews all across the U.S.
The family requests that memorials be made to the new Meadville Neighborhood Center, a collaborative community effort created to promote education, workforce development, personal growth and responsibility for individuals, youth and families. Contributions in her name may be sent to Meadville Neighborhood Center, 908 Diamond Park, Meadville, PA 16335.
A memorial Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday (Dec. 12, 2015) at St. Brigid Church, 383 Arch St., Meadville with Father Johnathan Schmolt as celebrant. Interment will be in St. Brigid Cemetery. A time of remembrance and social gathering will follow at a venue to be determined.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Robert W. Waid Funeral Home Inc., 581 Chestnut St., Meadville, where memories and condolences may be shared at www.waidfuneralhome.net.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Elizabeth L. Walker, please visit our flower store.