Allen Keith Walker

 

Keith Walker ~ December 25, 1925 to December 24, 2023

Allen Keith Walker of Beckley, West Virginia, went to his heavenly home on December 24, 2023, one day short of his 98th birthday. Keith was born in Litton, Mississippi to the late James Walter and Stella Gordon Walker on December 25, 1925. Five of his six siblings also preceded him in death. 

After high school in Benoit, Mississippi where he was a three-sport athlete, Keith joined the Navy and served during WWII at Pearl Harbor from 1944 to 1946. Following his discharge from service, Keith moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky where he graduated from Bowling Green Business College (now a part of Western Kentucky University). While there he met the love of his life, Sarah Johnson of Huntington, West Virginia. Keith and Sarah married in 1948 and remained inseparably in love until her death in 2020.

Keith had a long career in the grocery business beginning in college and continuing with a 25-year career in sales with Proctor & Gamble throughout West Virginia. After retiring from P&G, he owned and operated two grocery stores in Mullens, West Virginia for 30 years until the area economy forced him to close in 2005.  His retirement was short-lived and at age 79 he began working part-time at Mountain State University until he retired for good in 2010.

Keith was a joyful and devout Christian and served faithfully in teaching, visitation, and various leadership positions at First Baptist Church and then Memorial Baptist Church, both in Beckley. He served along with Sarah and loved every minute of it. Later, they joined Crab Orchard Baptist Church whose members were devoted and caring friends to Keith in his later years. In addition to church, Keith was a passionate member, speaker, and leader with the Beckley Area Camp for The Gideons International, the Christian organization that provides Bibles to people in every facet of life throughout the world.

Throughout Keith’s life of serving others, he was a kind, humble and loving man. He always displayed boundless love for his many friends and especially for his own children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  In addition to his only living sibling, Sue Mullins of Thomasville, Georgia, Keith leaves behind to cherish his memory: daughters, Teresa (Gregg) Epperley of Beckley, West Virginia and Linda (Toney) Fitzgerald of Coppell, Texas; sons Eddie (Lola) Walker of Mullens, West Virginia, and Mike (Debbie) Walker of Aurora, Colorado; grandsons, Bryant Walker of Denver, Colorado, Michael (Jennifer) Epperley of Morgantown, West Virginia, Drew (Becca) Epperley of Richardson, Texas, Nik Walker of Cleveland, Tennessee, Jacob Fitzgerald and Jonathan Fitzgerald both of Coppell, Texas; granddaughters Audrey (Jarrod) Stanton-Smith of Beckley, West Virginia, Sarah (Ryan) Walker Seifert of Aurora, Colorado, Morgan (Ben) Fitzgerald Clardy of Carrollton, Texas, and Kari (Austin) Walker Sizemore of Pineville, West Virginia; great-grandchildren, Jon David Schwitzerlette and Graydon Smith of Beckley, West Virginia, Wyatt Seifert and  Ryder Seifert of Aurora, Colorado, Braelyn Sizemore of Pineville, West Virginia, and Beckett Clardy of Carrollton, Texas; many special nieces, nephews and friends. The family would like to also recognize and thank the staff at The Inn at the Villages of Greystone in Beaver, West Virginia; the many members of Crab Orchard Baptist Church who faithfully sent cards, visited, and prayed for Keith, the Sunday School Class of Joy members at Crab Orchard Baptist Church, the Deacons of Crab Orchard Baptist Church, and special Deaconess, Sarah; some very special caregivers Jennifer, Carla and Amanda; neighbors Hal and Rhonda; Hospice of Southern West Virginia; and Access Health, especially Dr. Scott Lostetter and his staff.

In lieu of flowers please remember Don with a donation to Beckley Gideon Camp, PO Box 713, Beckley, WV   25802.

Funeral services will be Friday, December 29 at 1:00 p.m. at Crab Orchard Baptist Church, 1501 Robert C. Byrd Drive, Crab Orchard, West Virginia, officiated by Pastor Dewey Lowe. The family will receive visitors from 11 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (before the service), at the same location. Pallbearers will be Jay Quesenberry, Hal Withrow, Bryant Walker, Michael Epperley, Austin Sizemore, Nik Walker.

Donations of sympathy in Keith Walker’s memory can be made to Crab Orchard Baptist Church or to the Beckley Gideon Camp, PO Box 713, Beckley, WV  25802