Loretta D. Walker

On Sunday, Oct. 17, 2010, our hearts were saddened by the sudden passing of our beloved mother, Loretta D. Walker.

Loretta Delores Wyles, also affectionately known as "Dukey", was born in Petersburg, Va., on Jan. 23, 1934. She was raised by her mother, Mrs. Helen Robinson, in the Blandford community, along with her brother, Curtis, and sister, Alice. Loretta graduated from Peabody High School in 1951, and enjoyed reuniting with her classmates at monthly luncheons and other social events held by the Class. She had a special place in her heart for the Blandford community and a remarkable memory for Blandford natives and events.

Loretta was baptized at Bethany Missionary Baptist Church, as were her children, and in her earlier years there, was a member of the Sunday school class, the Baptist Youth Progressive Union and the Junior Choir. Mrs. Walker was dedicated to her church's Caring and Sharing Nursing Guild and served faithfully from its inception in 1980 under the leadership of the Rev. Harry McCall in 1980, until her death. Additionally, Mrs. Walker was an active member of the NCO and Community Wives Club at Fort Lee (a merger of the Officers Wives and Enlisted Wives clubs) for over 25 years, the NAACP, and the Peabody High School National Alumni Association Inc.

In December 1954, she married Sgt. First Class William C. Walker Sr. and together they raised four sons. In 1963, Sgt. and Mrs. Walker moved their family to Asmara, Ethiopia for a year while he served as an MP in the United States Army. Mrs. Walker was employed by the Hiram Davis Medical Center of Central State Hospital. She retired in 1997 after 25 years of exemplary service.

Mrs. Loretta D. Walker was preceded in death by her mother, Mrs. Helen Robinson; her first born son, William Conway Walker Jr.; and her niece, Cynthia S. Wiles. She leaves to cherish her memory, three sons, Ronald Keith Walker of Ettrick, Va., Michael Curtis Walker (Brentice) of Prince George, Va., and Phillip Eric Walker (Paula) of Bowie, Md.; husband, William C. Walker Sr. of Upper Marlboro, Md.; grandson, Oronde Se'itu Walker of Concordia College in Selma, Ala.; her brother, Curtis Wiles-Bey (Antonia) of Dix Hills, N.Y.; sister, Alice Walker (Rudy-deceased) of Chester, Va.; cousins, Marva Fields Hampton of Harrisburg, Pa., Margaret Fields Barns, Barbara Ann Wilder, Vivian Fields Crocker of Petersburg, Va., Delores Fields Banks (George) of Fort Washington, Md., Mrs. Fannie Fields (Norris-deceased) of Petersburg, Va., and Maggie Comvalius of Jamaica, N.Y.; nephews, Charles T. Wiles (L'Tanja) of Oak Island, N.C., Alim H. Kabir-Bey of Dix Hills, N.Y., Kenneth Sean Walker (Angie) of Peoria, Ill., and Tizard C. Wiles (Sonia) of Garner N.C.; nieces, Ayana Tiombe Curtis (Robert) of New York, N.Y., and Crystal Johnson of Chester, Va., along with a host of other relatives and friends who will miss her dearly.

Services will be conducted at Bethany Missionary Baptist Church at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010; the Rev. Eli Melvin officiating. Interment will be in the Dinwiddie Memorial Park. The remains will rest at the church on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until the hour of service. Relatives and friends will kindly assemble at the funeral home at 10 a.m.

As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be made to the NAACP or Peabody High School Alumni Association Inc.

Funeral arrangements by the Tucker's Funeral Home, 415 Halifax St., Petersburg, VA 23803, A.A. Tucker, funeral director.