Catherine Walker

Catherine Walker—Christian, Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great-grandmother—A Life Well Lived

Catherine Tomlin Walker was born March 4, 1943, in Nashville, Tennessee, and on February 13, 2026, she quietly stepped from this life into eternity, passing peacefully at her home in Franklin, surrounded by the family she cherished so deeply. While our hearts feel the weight of her absence, we rejoice knowing her journey ended in peace and her faith has become sight.

Catherine’s childhood in South Nashville was filled with simple joys—long summer afternoons at the neighborhood pool, trips to the fairgrounds, and meaningful involvement at Southend United Methodist Church. She treasured visits to extended family “in the country,” especially in Bethesda, Flat Rock, and Holts Corner. Those early years shaped the servant-hearted woman she would become. She graduated from Hume-Fogg High School and later earned her associate degree from Nashville Tech, always believing that diligence and faithfulness mattered more than recognition.

Her professional life reflected her servant spirit. She worked faithfully with Music Type Service, the Nashville Area United Methodist Church, and later retired from the General Board of Discipleship. She was known not for titles, but for kindness… and for the congealed salads she faithfully brought to church fellowships and family gatherings. She had a gift for making others feel welcome, valued, and seen with an unassuming grace.

As the mother of three sons, Catherine’s life was full and busy—especially as those boys grew tall enough to tower over her five-foot frame. Yet her strength was never measured in inches. She stood courageously beside her eldest son, Calvin Nelson IV, caring for him with unwavering devotion through illness until his passing at a young age. Years later, she showed that same steadfast love while caring for her husband, John Walker, as he battled Parkinson’s disease. She even was recognized for volunteering more than 300 hours at the local hospital. Caring for others wasn’t something she did—it was who she was.

Her middle years were rich with the blessings she loved most: camping and fishing trips with John, the laughter of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and the simple joy of being together. To her family she was known simply as “Mom,” “Nana,” and to many she was affectionately known as “Pocket-Size Nana,” a name that perfectly captured her stature and her larger-than-life love. Among her favorite memories was a trip to Hawaii with family—something she once said she never imagined she’d experience. She also treasured outings with her sister, sister-in-law, and cousins, moments filled with stories, laughter, and lifelong bonds.

Catherine was a romantic at heart. Family still smiles remembering her delighted exclamation during a romantic comedy: “I just love romance!” She was an extrovert who drew life from being around people. Whether hosting family in her home or later keeping up with every bit of news and activity around her Franklin residence, she simply wanted to be with her people.

In her final years, she was a faithful member of Rolling Hills Church of Christ, and attended as long as her health allowed, marking her weeks by Sunday worship. She loved her church family. Even in her final months and weeks of life, when she couldn’t attend – it was always her desire to go to church and to be with people.

One of her most beautiful qualities was her acceptance of others. She did not judge—she welcomed. She spoke often of how grateful she was for her family, fully aware that life’s later chapters can look very different. It was family who brought her peace and a steady comfort in the difficult days, when dementia had settled in—providing her with peace and reassurance.

After John’s passing, a season that could have been lonely instead became a time of closeness, as she spent her remaining years surrounded by family. Her family often teased that she had “FOMO” (fear of missing out). She loved being where the action was. The dinner table was often filled with laughter, stories, and the joyful noise of children and grandchildren—exactly the way she loved it.

Catherine is survived by her sons Kevin Neal Harrub (Staci) and Brad Harrub (Melinda); her stepson David Walker; her sister Linda Ann Tomlin; her sister-in-law Lee Tomlin; her grandchildren Noah, Will, Grace, Reese, Claire, and Luke; and her great-grandchildren Jackson, Brooklyn, and Austin.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Calvin Nelson Harrub III and John Walker; her son Calvin Nelson Harrub IV; her parents Laura Lucille Crafton and Alva Lee Tomlin; and her brother Charles Walter Tomlin.

Catherine will be laid to rest beside her beloved husband, John, at the VA Cemetery in a private burial service. Visitation will be held Saturday, February 28th, at 10:00 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 11:00 a.m., officiated by David Thomley at Heritage Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Rolling Hills Church of Christ to further the Gospel, or Tennessee Children’s Home.

Catherine Walker—Mom, Nana, and “Pocket-Size Nana”—leaves behind a legacy that cannot be measured in years, but in love. She will be remembered with gratitude, missed beyond words, and loved always.