Gussie Lee WALKER

WALKER, Gussie Lee

Gussie Lee (Johnson) Walker, 89, a resident of Windsor for many years, died late Thursday evening, (July 7, 2011) at the Windsor Rehabilitation Center. She was born and educated in Dothan, AL, a daughter of the late Walter Johnson and Lillia Jackson. After raising her own family in Cleveland, OH, Gussie was employed as a housekeeper by two families in West Hartford, Drs. Irwin and Martha Lepow (1963-1978), with whom she moved from Cleveland, and Drs. Richard and Susan Ratzan (1978-2001). For both families, she was a warm, nurturing, much loved third parent. She was the gentle, reliable, consistent presence in the Lepow and Ratzan children's lives that allowed them to grow and flourish while their parents, all physicians, worked. Gussie was a very good cook and made excellent spaghetti sauce, eggplant parmigian, and pork chops, but she was most famous for "Gussie's pound cake" which she made at her home early in the morning and brought to work with her, still warm from the oven. Her recipe has been passed on to many family members. Children's birthdays were another specialty of Gussie's. When the Ratzan children were young, she would arrive early, pack up a trunkload of toys and drive them to her home in Windsor for a day of fun and treats (doughnuts and pizza). Gussie's beautiful smile and personality were appreciated by all who knew her including her own doctors, the staff at Windsor Rehabilitation Center, the families she took care of, and, of course, her own family. She was the wife of the late Reverend James H. Walker, Sr., and leaves a daughter, Marie Greenard of Pontiac, MI; her son, James H. Walker, Jr. of Windsor; as well as seven grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Her funeral and burial will be private and there will be no calling hours. Arrangements are by the Carmon Community Funeral Home of Windsor. For online condolences and guest book, please visit us at www.carmonfuneralhome.com