Sylvester E. Walker

CANAAN, N.Y. -- Sylvester "Bill" E. Walker, 93, a lifelong resident of Canaan died Thursday at Pine Haven Nursing Home, Philmont, N.Y. He is known locally as the Guru of Canaan.

Born in Canaan on June 14, 1914, son of William and Cecilia Deegan Walker, he graduated from Chatham High School in 1930 and from Albany Business College in 1932.

Following his college graduation, Mr. Walker worked for Edna St. Vincent Millay as her secretary for several years, and was a manager and printer at a large Valatie printing firm before opening his own business, Walkerprint of Canaan, which he sold in 1990.

From 1966 through 1979, Mr. Walker was the executive director of the State Supervisors and Country Legislators Association. He was elected Canaan Town Supervisor in 1954 and served until 1973. During his reign, Canaan became the first town in Columbia County to establish zoning.

He fought to get a stop and go traffic light installed at the intersection of County Route 5 and Route 295 after five fatalities occurred at that site. Mr. Walker was also instrumental in helping to build the Veterans monument at City Route 5 and Route 295.

He co-chaired the Columbia/Greene County Committee to establish Columbia Greene Community College. He was chairman of the Civil Defense Committee.

He was a member of the Canaan Protective Fire Co. for 76 years and was the senior past president of the Columbia County Firefighters' Association. Until his recent illness, he attended all Canaan town board meetings and fire co. meetings.

He was also the past president and longtime trustee of the Canaan Cemetery Association. The new Town Hall was dedicated to him in 1998 and the road leading to Town Hall was renamed Walker Lane in his honor in May 2007.

He was a communicant of the Immaculate Conception Church in New Lebanon.

He married the former Sally L. Wild in 1939. She died in 2001.

Mr. Walker leaves two sons, David W. Walker of Wellesley Hills and Richard A. Walker of Rhinebeck, N.Y.; and seven grandchildren.

FUNERAL NOTICE -- Services for Sylvester "Bill" E. Walker, who died Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007, will be held Friday, Dec. 7 at 11 a.m. from the Immaculate Conception Church in New Lebanon. Interment will be in the Canaan Cemetery. Calling hours will be Thursday 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. from WENK FUNERAL HOME, Chatham, N.Y. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Canaan Protective Fire Co., Canaan, N.Y., 12029. The sons would like to recognize Judith Wear of Canaan (their cousin) as Bill's daughter, the love and care that she gave her uncle Bill over the years has been commendable. He has truly lived in Canaan his entire life, the last 80 years in the same house on County Route 5. Mr. Walker was predeceased by his brother, Eugene Walker.