William Andrews Walker

Obituary
William Andrews Walker, of Ellicott City, MD, died unexpectedly on June 23 at age 52. Bill, as everyone called him, leaves behind his parents, Jane and Ralph Walker; his siblings, Heather, Cathy, Beth, and David and brothers-in-law, Scott Grzenda and John Leslie; his niece Kaitlyn and nephews Zach and Nathan Grzenda from Pennsylvania and Robbie and Nick Leslie from Massachusetts.
Bill was born in the District of Columbia on November 27, 1970. He graduated from Centennial High School in Maryland and Salisbury State University, where he studied Communications Arts. His first job was in television on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, working behind the camera. With his interest in technology, he migrated to tech support, working for APTIFY, US Internetworking, and TEKsystems Inc. in the Washington metro area. He enjoyed his time in Washington, cheering on the local teams and forming long-lasting friendships.
Later in his career, Bill transitioned to the nonprofit sector, providing administrative support to two nonprofit mental health organizations, the Maryland Coalition of Families and the Family-Run Executive Director Leadership Association (FREDLA). In addition to the day-to-day functions of the organizations, he assisted with special events such as the annual Mental Health Day in Annapolis and Children's Mental Health Awareness Campaign.
Bill had a warm and kind heart, always helping others with trips to the store and taking neighbors to appointments. His thoughtfulness showed at every family birthday and holiday, going out of his way to make them special with flowers, candy, or balloons. He was a devoted uncle who loved caring for his niece and nephews. His quick wit and great sense of humor made him a fun companion and friend. Bill exhibited his vast range of knowledge every weeknight as he played along to Jeopardy and Trivia Nights in Ellicott City. He enjoyed cooking and trying new recipes, especially French food, eventually mastering the art of Bearnaise sauce and beef bourguignon.
Always with his baseball cap on, Bill enjoyed travel and adventure. He loved exploring the National Parks and visited over fifteen of them. His most memorable experiences included hiking The Narrows in Zion National Park and rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon with his father and brother. He traveled internationally in Tanzania on a safari and to Poland and Ireland with his family to trace their roots. He spoke fondly about his adventures in Spain, especially the Tomatina Festival, when people hurled tomatoes at each other. Bill reminisced about the crush of the crowd, the fun, and the total mayhem. Closer to home, Bill relished the thrill of jumping in the icy water in the Polar Bear Plunge at Sandy Point State Park, always emerging with a big grin.
Donations may be made in Bill's memory to the National Park Foundation in place of flowers.