Barbara Joan Walker

Funeral service for Mrs. Barbara Joan Walker, 92, of Monroe, LA, will be held at 12:00PM Thursday, August 14, 2025, in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home Sterlington Rd. Monroe with Rev. Betty Swanson officiating. Visitation will be from 11:00AM until service time Thursday, August 14, 2025, at the funeral home.

On a hot July 5, 1933, at the home of Will and Ted Hale in the Motley Plantation community, a beautiful curly haired girl was born to Albert and Lola Hale. They named her Barbara Joan Hale. Her soul left her body on August 10, 2025, to be with the Lord.

Mrs. Walker was preceded in death by her grandparents, Will and Ted Hale; parents, Albert and Lola Hale; husband Charles Walker; daughter, Beverly Ann Duchesne; son, Stephan Dale Walker; and paternal nephew, Jim Nolan.

Survivors include her only grandchild, Beau Chesney Duchesne of Monroe; sister, Brenda Hale Strickland and husband Joe of Concord, AR; maternal niece, Tammy Johnston; nephew, Spencer Johnston; grandnephew, Trenton Johnston all of Epps. They currently live on the same land Barbara was born on. Paternal niece, who is Jim Nolan’s widow, Betty Ann Nolan of Monroe; paternal nephews, Carl Nolan and partner Cathy Webb of Monroe and Russell Nolan and wife Debbie of Dallas, TX; paternal niece, Cindy Nolan Maley and husband Richard of Yellville, AR; paternal niece, Shelia Ouchley Stover and husband Billie of Farmerville, Sandra Ouchley Sisson and husband Berton of Monroe; and paternal nephew, Don Ouchley and wife Pat of Goodyear, AZ.

Barbara graduated Valedictorian from Epps High School and later attended Northeast Louisiana University for a year. She handed out Pepsi samples at a grocery store in West Monroe. She also worked at the Monroe Morning World Newspaper in accounts receivable. Barbara went to work at Central Bank in 1957. She was a teller then supervisor of tellers, promoted to assistant cashier in 1993. When she retired after 35 years in banking, she was an Assistant Vice President at Chase on North 18th Street.

Rick Hyland from the bank called her B. Walker, her family called her Bob, Maw Maw Bob, Aunt Bob, Aunt Barbara, and cousin Elaine from New Iberia called her Tinker.

When she wasn’t at work you could find her in the backyard planting, watering, weeding, killing baby rattlesnakes, and admiring her flowers. Did I fail to mention she loved flowers.

She was a lifetime member of Southside United Methodist Church which was later named Lea Joyner Memorial Methodist Church. She served in different capacities there.

Barbara was a busy lady; she belonged to the Monroe Garden Club serving as Secretary Treasurer and Vice President. She was a member in the Quota Club and was invited to join by Irene Solomon. She belonged to the National Association of Bank Women and the American Businesswomen’s Association.

Our family wants to recognize a longtime friend Pat Thompson. They were opposites but they loved each other dearly. Pat cooked the best cakes and would take them to Bob. She even had someone drive her to Batesville, AR a five-and-a-half-hour trip from Monroe to visit her.

After Bob’s daughter died, her friend Lisa Curry quickly became Bob’s close friend. Lisa cooked meals and took them to Bob. When Covid hit and Tammy could not go to see and look after Bob, Sandra Sissson stepped in and cooked gourmet meals and took care of her. If I have missed anyone, please accept my apologies. We are forever grateful to all of you.