Barbara June Walker

Barbara June (Henderson) Walker, of Groesbeck, passed away on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at age 85. Her passing after a severe fall has left a heartbreaking void in her family and all who knew her, but brought joy in Heaven where she must be singing with the angels.

Visitation will be held on Friday, November 7, 2025, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 8, 2025, in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Pastor Jimmy Cotton officiating. Burial will follow in Wilson Chapel Cemetery (FCR 795, Donie).

Pallbearers will be Nick Walker, Ethan Walker, Brad Freeman, Michael Walker, Keith Walker, and Trendle Walker.

Barbara June was born June 4, 1940, in the Old Union Community to Weldon Wilmer Henderson and Mary (Davis) Henderson. She grew up in the country, poor as everyone else but in a home filled with love and music. The family got together to sing after the supper meal. Her daddy had a country band and was sitting on the stage when she was only 5 waiting to sing. Her mama raised her to handle any trials that came along and deal with it. One winter was so wet that their bus (an old army truck that transported them to school) could not get down their road, causing the kids to miss 6 months of school. And when it was so cold, her mama burned a Sears catalog to keep them warm while they were waiting for the bus.

Barbara received many honors throughout her school years and graduated from Groesbeck High School in the Class of 1958. She went to school with Dennis Walker, and they began dating in their junior year.

Barbara was united in marriage with Dennis J. Walker in Groesbeck on May 13, 1958, after they had been dating for the past six months. After the wedding they left to go to Houston to look for work. With low wages, they considered it a real treat to walk half a mile to the “Dairy Queen” once a week for a hamburger and malt. Their 3 sons were born in Houston. Barbara always handled all life’s trials, including when Trendle was 6 months old and injured in a bad car wreck. Barbara never left his side in the hospital for 6 weeks. Each son received her devotion and prayers; even while they were sleeping she was there patting and praying. Barbara could be a gentle lady but also a protective mother of her family.

Barbara and Dennis did not want to raise the boys in Houston and moved to Robinson when Mike was 6. They later moved to Groesbeck, to the river bottom in the house where Dennis had grown up. She took care of her family in the old house without any plumbing, using the strength her mother had taught her, to “deal with it.” They later built a new house on their land and even later moved to town when Dennis was Chief of Police in Groesbeck.

Barbara and Dennis had a cattle operation at their land and she worked cows right along with Dennis and the boys and enjoyed being involved in all of it.

Barbara worked in Mexia at Varo and later worked at Blackland PCA until she retired in 1991. She would work all day and come home to cook a full meal for Dennis and the 3 growing boys, which would include the whole works of chicken-fried steak or chicken (not l, but 2 chickens) along with a whole loaf of bread and a whole gallon of milk every day. She took care of everybody, and no one had to want for anything.

She travelled many miles to go to all their activities, from pee-wee baseball to all their high school sports.

Singing was always a big part of Barbara’s life and she sang along with her brother Coot (Clinton) playing the guitar. Friday nights found Barbara and Dennis at the Gene Cox house, singing with Cathy Armstrong and everyone else who came, for two or three hours, while the men played 42. She would take a huge coconut cake or other food. At one point, she told the group that she would no longer sing anything but gospel. And she sang a lot of gospel hymns at the request of many families for their loved ones’ funerals and also for weddings. On a trip to Nashville, Dennis had her record a song, “Daddy’s Hands’ in a studio there, and while she was singing the people passing by on the street would stop to hear her.

She was a devoted grandmother, and she had kept each one of the grandchildren at some point in their lives.

Barbara had cooked many big meals throughout her life and loved to prepare for a big Thanksgiving meal starting 2-3 days ahead of time, not wanting anyone else to have to do anything. Barbara would think her singing, or her cooking, was less than she expected, while to everyone else, it was wonderful.

She was a faithful Christian all her life, with her father holding fellowships in his home, a brother in the ministry, and her involvement in church services. She was a beautiful lady, looked and acted like a lady, and her Christian faith showed in her life.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Clinton “Coot” Henderson and Roger Henderson; brother-in-law, Richard Reagan; and grandson, Trooper Chad Walker.

She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Dennis Walker; sons and daughters-in-law, Michael and Brenda Walker of Groesbeck, Keith and Marianne Walker of Wortham, and Trendle and Trish Walker of Old Union. Grandchildren and their spouses are Nick and Briana Walker of Groesbeck, Rachel Walker of New Mexico, Regan Walker-Krucher and Marshall Krucher of Austin, Candace Zatopek of San Antonio, Courtney Rhodes of Groesbeck and granddaughter-in-law, Tobie Walker of Groesbeck; and there are many great grandchildren.

She is also survived by her sister, Nancy Reagan of Groesbeck and brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Mary Henderson of Colorado Springs, CO; sister-in-law, Mary Henderson of Bryan; and many nieces and nephews.