Kenneth Dewayne Walker

On Dec. 9,1937, the world got introduced to a personality that soon became evident as one who was convinced his life's purpose was to bring a smile to the face of everyone he met. Paul Raymond Walker and Martha Mildred (Rhoadarmer) Walker just known as Paul and Mildred, parents of this personality, named their second son Kenneth Dewayne Walker. In Ken's younger years, his older brother, Lenard Paul (born on Jan. 3, 1933) saw him as a nuisance getting in between him and their father because Ken always wanted to be wherever his dad was. It was good when on Nov. 6, 1939 their younger brother (Harry Elmer) was born as he became the glue that somehow helped the relationship.

During his younger years the family managed to move to three corners of a section of land located between Ault and Pierce, Colorado. The last move would have forced him to change schools for his senior year, but the school administration hired him to drive a school bus which allowed him to remain and graduate from Pierce in a class of thirteen.

After high school, when he was in his senior year on his way to graduate from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado with a Bachelor's degree in Animal Husbandry, his life encountered a chain of events that dramatically effected the rest of his life. It all started when he was the President of the square dance club on campus called the Aggies Haylofters. He and his partner (who later became Cloanne Brueggeman from Wray, Colorado) were on what was called the Exhibition Team that danced with special outfits in a double square under an ultraviolet light. They actually became fairly famous performing all over the state. But one night while the organization was celebrating the Christmas season, Ken had taken upon himself to be the jolly Old Saint Nicolas and to spice things up a little, he decided to go down one side of the room and give a gift of a kiss to all the gals. Unbeknownst to him, however, was a new transfer damsel who was attending the group for the very first time and while witnessing this jovial act said to herself: "Well … he's not going to kiss me!" As fate would have it, during a dance after the Christmas break, he happened to have a partner who informed him that she saw him at church. When he asked her which church, she responded with: "Well how many churches do you go to?" As it turned out, he had visited some other churches but actually belonged to the Disciples of Christ Christian Church - the same one where she also belonged and was their organist. Knowing how thrilled his Grandmother Rhoadarmer would be for him to date a girl from their denomination, he asked her for a date which she agreed to - not dreaming that before they actually went to eat, they were headed to court to appear before a judge! As the assistant herdsman for the CSU dairy and the narrative unfolds, Ken had been driving one of their pickups when it slipped down an icy hill in Fort Collins and hit the back of a car, which in turn resulted in a ticket and the required court appearance. CSU paid the fine and the saga continued.

Since that date proved to be successful, Ken asked her if she would like to ride with him to the Denver airport to pick up the acclaimed caller for the annual Haylofter's Festival. This famous event always drew hundreds of square dancers from all over the country. Ironically her parents were planning on attending. Unfortunately, for both in this budding relationship, each already had another date for the event so Ken dropped her off at her residence to get ready for her date and he proceeded to go get his other date. During the dance which covered several big rooms, again fate intervened and ironically they ended up in a square right in front of the caller's platform. Nobody will ever know if he knew what he was doing or not, but he suddenly announced that everyone was to swing their corners and that would be their partner for that dance. That partnership was officially joined as husband and wife on August 26, 1962 in Wray, Colorado and lasted for 63 1/2 years! That damsel from the Christmas dance and the organist was Julia (known to all who knew her as Judy) Ann Reed from Wray, CO.

The reason their marriage wasn't on August 19th (Judy's birthday from 1942 - born to Virgil Clinton and Anna Elizabeth [McAdams] Reed) was because her father had promised her that he would give her an organ for a wedding gift "IF" she waited until she was 20 years old. So, just in case he might try to wiggle out on that promise, they waited until one week after her birthday.

Since Ken was 5 years older than Judy, they decided they wanted to have their children early in their marriage so that they would be young enough to fully participate in their children's activities as they grew up. To their joy yet surprise, God blessed them with their first daughter, Vicki Lynn, born on July 3, 1963 - the same time that CSU's award-winning prize cow, named MAMA, was expected to give birth to an anticipated prize calf. As soon as Vicki was born and Ken checked to make sure Judy was alright, he rushed back to the dairy to watch over MAMA. The calf was delivered successfully, but as a preemie, Vicki had to stay in the incubator until her lungs could finish developing and she regained her birth weight. They called her the little firecracker who couldn't wait until the 4th to burst forth! As Judy was an only child and hated never having a sibling, their intention was to add quickly to their little family of three. Only after what the specialist's called a wedge surgery and 5 years later were they blessed with a son, Russ Dewayne, born on April 19th, 1968. To complete their family, God blessed them with another daughter, Debra Dee, born on April 28, 1971.

Because Ken had been raised on a farm and they also milked cows, he preferred the dairy part and not the farming part. But after graduating with his degree and resuming as the Assistant Herdsman at the CSU dairy for two years plus taking courses toward's a master's degree, his father-in-law offered him a position at the Virgil Reed Music store in Wray. Since Judy was the only child and would inherit the store, Ken decided to make the change and learn the music business. In actuality, he was like a foot trying to fit in a shoe that wasn't made for him. So, after struggling for several years, he made the decision to buy some land, build a house, and build a Grade-A parlor milking barn with an up-dated computer system. This allowed him to fit back into his God-given gift of being a full time award-winning dairyman. He won the Outstanding Dairyman's Award for Colorado, was chosen to represent the Midwest states at the National Dairyman's Conference, and was in an edition of Who's Who in America - to name a few. These different awards involved paid trips to Florida, San Francisco, and Washington D. C. At one time during the dairy days, he and a hired man milked over 200 cows three times a day. During those years at the dairy, the children with their various gifts were very involved in 4-H, basketball, volley ball, track, band concerts, piano recitals, etc., but Ken always made sure his schedule was so he could attend the events and support them.

After his father-in-law's health declined, he and Judy left their regular jobs to take over the music store and continued to run it until both parents passed and they sold the business. Life had slowed down some when the Lord called them to move to Whitewater, WI to support their pastor son in the ministry of CrossPoint Community Church. As a total stranger to Wisconsin and knowing no one at the church, God provided Ken with a very special friend, Bill Pranga, who became stronger than a brother to him plus his weekly Wednesday coffee dates. During those years, Ken started a men's group that has had many changes but still meets today.

He was preceded in death by his parents Paul and Mildred Walker, his brother Lenard Walker and sister-in-law, Barbara Walker.

Ken is survived by his wife, Judy Walker; daughter, Vicki Walker; son and daughter-in-law, Russ and Courtney Walker; daughter and son-in-law, Debbie and Jeff Olson; grandchildren: Mackenzie Walker; Madison & husband Erik Anderson; Landon & wife Kinsey Walker; Sheldon & wife Morgan Walker; Kaitlyn Olson; Lindsay Olson; great-grandchildren: Broderick Michael, Carsten Michael, and Analynn Mae Anderson; brother and sister-in-law, Harry & Diana Walker; nieces and nephews; plus a host of friends.

A Celebration Service for Kenneth will be held on Friday, February 20, 2026 beginning at 10:00AM at Nitardy Funeral Home; 550 N. Newcomb Street. Whitewater, Wisconsin. Friends & Family are encouraged to stay after the service from 10:30AM until 11:30AM for visitation services.

Nitardy Funeral Home - Whitewater, WI is proudly serving the family.

To view the service live, please click the following link. If the link does not work during the service time, please check back later as a recorded version of the service will be uploaded. https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/f2602854736001