Dr. Elbert A. Walker

1930 - 2018

Dr. Elbert A. Walker died peacefully at home in Las Cruces, NM on February 11, 2018 at the age of 87, surrounded by his family. Elbert is survived by his wife Dr. Carol L Walker, his children Diana Landry and partner Shane Bender, David Walker and husband Walter Carr-Walker, Dan Walker, and Elaine Walker; grandchildren Chanel Landry, Michelle Walker, and Alice Walker; and one sister June Bottoms and husband Jack. He was preceded in death by his parents Abigail and H.E. Walker and one sister Ann Maxwell. Elbert was born on March 11, 1930 near Huntsville, Texas. He earned his B.A. in 1950 and M.A. in 1952, in Mathematics, from Sam Houston State College; a Ph.D. in Mathematics from University of Kansas in 1955; and an M.S. in Statistics in 1978 from Colorado State University. Elbert joined the faculty of New Mexico State University in 1957. He was a prolific and brilliant mathematician, who taught countless students including 13 Ph.D. students. He was a National Science Foundation Senior Postdoctoral Fellow, 1963-1964, and received many research grants from the National Science Foundation. He won several awards, including the Westhafer Award for Research in 1965 (New Mexico State University's award to its outstanding faculty researcher of that year). He authored or coauthored numerous books, 95 research papers, and 65 surveys and abstracts, including several with his wife Dr. Carol Walker, primarily in the areas of Abelian Group Theory, Lattice Theory, and Fuzzy Logic. A ceremony is scheduled for 11:00 AM on Thursday, February 15 at the NMSU Spiritual Center, 1720 E University Avenue in Las Cruces, followed by a reception at the Walker family home. In lieu of flowers, you may send donations to the Walker Endowed Mathematics Research Grant at NMSU (575-646-7139), or to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.