John A. Walker

JOHN A. WALKER John Ariel Walker, age 76, passed away November 7, 2022, at home in the arms of his loving wife, Teresa, in Scottsdale, Arizona. John "Johnny" Walker was born August 28, 1946, in Oklahoma City. John is one of three children born to Julius Edward "J.E." Walker and Ila Vinita (Sexton) Walker. He graduated from McLoud High School and then attended Oklahoma State University studying finance and accounting. World events temporarily changed his life when faced with the draft. He opted to enlist in the Naval Reserve in 1967 after losing his student deferment from the draft that summer. He married his first wife Karen (Reid) Walker while in naval training in California. What should have only been a brief stint as a reservist turned into a 15 month commitment of Shore Duty in Vietnam, on the Mekong River, where he served on a PT boat. After 6 months on the river boat, his accounting studies at OSU landed him a job in the Naval Club System Accounting Office where he served out the remaining 9 months of his tour of duty. A decorated service man, John returned to Oklahoma to finish his senior year at OSU and earned both a Bachelor and Master Degree in Accounting while playing on the OSU golf team. John worked in Tulsa as a CPA for Spartan Aviation, which manufactured aircraft products, motor homes, and trained pilots and aircraft mechanics for the government. After ten years, he left Spartan to work for a competitor. In this new job, John was the person they relied on to financially trouble shoot their private career tech schools. The firm moved him and his family around the country to States which included Maryland, Colorado, Minnesota, West Virginia, and California. After a few years, John got a chance to return to Spartan as CFO. Within a few years he made a successful offer to buy the company. Approximately ten years later, he retired and sold Spartan. John and his two brothers all had a passion for golf, baseball, basketball, and fishing. An annual fly-fishing trip to Creede, Colorado, on the Rio Grande river, was a tradition. They stayed at the Cottonwood Cove Lodge and had many wonderful memories. According to his brother Jim, John was the best fisherman of the bunch. John carried on his father's love of golf and won many tournaments. His last tournament was the 2022 XLII Senior Golf Tournament, Legends category, in Guadalajara, Mexico, where he placed 6th. He played some of the most famous courses in the world to include Pebble Beach, Augusta, and St. Andrews. John was ranked as one of the top Senior Amateur golfers in the U.S. His parents both lived to be 89. During those years the family enjoyed holidays together and John would visit his parents, in the summer, in Colorado to spend time fishing and playing golf. Once widowed, John met his wife Teresa in the sport he loved most... golf. John and Teresa enjoyed almost a decade together and she was by his side in his battle with cancer. John will be remembered as a loving, kind man, and admired by all who knew him. John is survived by his wife Teresa, Scottsdale, AZ; brother Jim (Kathy) Walker, McLoud, OK; sons Blaine (Stephanie) Walker, Denver, CO, and Justin (Reanda) Walker, Vail, CO; grandchildren Claire, Cash, Noah and Reid; Uncle John (Pat) Walker, Ft. Collins, CO; and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, brother Robert (Virginia) Walker, and first wife Karen Reid Walker. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2023, 2:00 pm., McLoud First United Methodist Church, 415 S. 8th Street, McLoud, Oklahoma, reception following.