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Destina “Dusty” A. Walker, age 81, passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 29, 2024. She was born on August 15, 1943 in Sturgis, MI. She married Dennis Walker on December 26, 1961. Together they owned and operated Walker’s Kollerville from February, 1963 until November, 1996. Walker’s was the first restaurant in the area to serve all-you-can-eat-haddock, and was famous for its Friday Night Fish Fry and Dusty’s coleslaw and potato salad.
In her “retirement” Dusty served as Executive Director of the Green Lake Area Chamber of Commerce from 1997 to 2008. Green Lake was very important to Dusty, and she worked hard to improve tourism by adding many additional events and activities. She was instrumental in convincing the City to move the Green Lake Fourth of July Fireworks to the Lake off of Hattie Sherwood Park. She volunteered her time and talents in any way possible to make Green Lake a better place. Dusty was a Board Member for the Green Lake County Visitors Bureau, where she was in charge of marketing the tourism trade shows for Green Lake County for many years.
Dusty also served on the Green Lake City Council from 2016 to 2020, and had a lead role in getting the beautiful Green Lake water tower painted. She was a member of the Green Lake Rotary Club where she helped develop the Green Lake Rotary Red Geranium Veterans Fund, which is a permanent project that places red geraniums on veteran’s graves every summer. This project will continue for years to come! Dusty was a member of the Ripon/Green Lake Community Foundation, where she served as a Board member. She also started the Green Lake Soccer Camp – and was a Green Lake Area Tavern League Officer, an active member of the Green Lake American Legion Auxiliary, a Ripon Ridge Rider Snowmobile Club Officer and a faith-filled member of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Ripon. Dusty loved going to Las Vegas and area casinos, and she was called “Queen of the Raffle Tickets” because she always sold more tickets than anyone else!
Dusty is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, Dennis Walker of Green Lake, WI; sister Bobbie Oakes of Ripon, WI; two children: daughter, Jackie (Kevin Kopp) Gronostaj of Erie, PA, and son, Skip (Ellen) Walker of Markesan, WI; five grandchildren, Courtney (Danny) Zarnick, Cameron Gronostaj, and Caleb (Maddy Lesik) Kopp all from PA, and Ryan (McKenna Symons) Walker and Nikki (Quin Nieman) Walker from Markesan, WI; as well as two great-grandchildren, Ziggy Zarnick and Walker Zarnick; plus many, many other friends and relatives. She was preceded in death by her mother, Agnes Frisinger; twin sister, Diana Goeden; and brother-in-law, Dennis Oakes.
Visitation for Dusty will be held from 9:00 am until 11:00 am on Friday, January 3, 2025 at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 228 E. Blossom St., Ripon, WI 54971.
Mass of Christian Burial for Dusty will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, January 3, 2025 at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Ripon, with Father Chuck Wrobel officiating. You may view a livestream of the mass at 11:00 am by visiting this link LIVESTREAM. A memorial is being established in her name.
Her family would like to give special thanks to Joy and the entire team at SSM Hospice for their thorough and compassionate care over the last several weeks, as well as the staff at Markesan Resident Home where she comfortably spent her final days.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
515 Mayparty Dr PO Box 371, Ripon, WI 54971
Memories and condolences can be left on the obituary at the funeral home website.
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