Rolland Neil Walk

Rolland Neil Walk, age 97, died peacefully, Friday, June 20, 2025, at home in North Canton, Ohio.

Rollie, as he was affectionately known, was born November 20, 1927, in Akron, Ohio, to John and Omega (nee Berlin) Walk. He married his wife of 76 years, Marilyn (nee Kester) on August 13, 1948, and they enjoyed many happy years together.

After graduating from Garfield High School, he received a bachelor’s degree in Management Science from the Kent State University College of Business Administration. Rollie enjoyed a long career in sales and support, working for Hamilton Kent Manufacturing Company, Lauren Manufacturing and Blue Ridge Rubber. After moving to North Carolina, he started his own company, Universal Sales, and worked as a consultant and manufacturer’s representative from his home in Hendersonville.

Based on his extensive technical expertise, Rollie served many years on the ASTM Committee C13 on Concrete Pipe and received the committee’s Robert R. Litehiser Lifetime Achievement Award and Frank J. Heger Distinguished Service award.

Rollie and Marilyn made their first home in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where they raised their four children. In 1979, they moved to Hendersonville, North Carolina, where they enjoyed the beauty of the Blue Ridge mountains. They relocated to North Canton in 2019 to be close to family as they reached their 90s.

Rollie was a life-long member of the First Baptist Church of Akron and was involved in church and community activities wherever he made his home. He was an avid supporter of Kent State University athletics and established an endowment fund in the KSU College of Business Administration in 2014 to provide scholarships for students majoring in business.

He served in the U.S. Army and received the Army of Occupation Medal and World War II Victory Medal. As a World War II veteran, he was privileged to travel to Washington D.C. with the Blue Ridge Honor Flight program.

Rollie leaves behind his beloved wife Marilyn and his children John (Stephanie) Walk of Cuyahoga Falls, Karen (Chris) Adams of North Canton, Susan (Darrell) Wright of North Canton, and Curt (Sharon) Walk of Asheville, North Carolina. He is survived by his grandchildren Tabatha (Jason) Jones of Fletcher, North Carolina, Nyssa Adams (Ian Thompson) of Houston, Texas, Cameron (Anna) Wright of Orange, Ohio, Paul Adams of Tallmadge, Ohio and Parker Adams of Athens, Ohio. He is also survived by three adored great grandchildren: Savannah Jones, Alexander Wright and Inara Thompson, as well as much loved extended family.

He was preceded in death by his parents John and Omega Walk and his sister Margaret Long.

The family wishes to thank all the people who cared for Rollie in his last weeks, and especially his caregivers from Caring Senior Services.

The family will receive friends and family from 10-11:30 a.m. on SATURDAY , June 28, at Northampton United Methodist Church, 852 West Bath Road in Cuyahoga Falls. Pastor William Andrick will lead a Memorial Service at 11:30 a.m., followed by a fellowship meal at the church. Funeral services are provided by Billow’s Falls Chapel.

For those who wish, memorial donations may be made to the Rolland and Marilyn Walk Scholarship Endowment with checks payable to the Kent State University Foundation and sent to the attention of Nancy Wagner, Kent State University Foundation, P.O. Box 5190, 350 South Lincoln Street, Kent, OH, 44242.

Rollie thoroughly enjoyed meeting people and continued working well into his 80s. He drove more than 1 million miles during his career of serving customers throughout the U.S. and Canada, many of whom became dear friends. Always generous, kind and caring, he often shared stories from his long, love-filled life. He will be greatly missed.

Services in care of the Billow Funeral Homes and Crematory, 1907 23 Rd. St. Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223 (Billow FALLS Chapel)