George Lee Walker

George Lee Walker

Grand Rapids - George Lee Walker, 91, of Grand Rapids, MI, passed away on February 26, 2020, at his residence. George was born in Highland Park, MI, on November 3, 1928, to Verwin and Donna (Smouse) Walker. He was a 1946 graduate of Cooley High School, and went on to earn his Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Michigan in 1950. He married Edith Livermore of Pleasant Ridge, MI on September 2, 1950.

George served with the U.S. Navy from June 1950 to June 1953. Following his discharge, he began his long and diverse career as a journalist, speechwriter and author. He worked as a reporter for the Saginaw News (1953-1954), The Associated Press (1954-1957), The Detroit News (1957-1962), and The Detroit Free Press (1965-1968), where he was a member of the staff awarded the Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the 1967 Detroit riots. George worked as a speechwriter for Governor George Romney (1963-64) and for Governor William G. Milliken (1969-1975). In November 1975, he worked as a speechwriter for President Gerald R. Ford. George also worked as a speechwriter for Lee Iacocca, President of Ford Motor Company (1976-1979) and Gerald Myers, Chairman of American Motors Corporation (1980-82). In 1986, George published "The Chronicles of Doodah," an alternate selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club.

George is survived by his wife, Edith Livermore Walker; son, Dr. David (Susan) Walker of Seattle, WA; daughters Cynthia (Todd) Whitney of Nashua, NH, and Suzanne (Hank) Bonnah of East Grand Rapids, MI; granddaughter Morgan Whitney of Raleigh, NC; grandsons Zane Whitney of Medford, MA; Benjamin Walker of Seattle, WA; Seth Walker of Issaquah, WA; and Ian and Andrew Bonnah of East Grand Rapids, MI.

In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in George's memory to a charity of your choice.