J. Howard Walker

Jacob Howard Walker died on Sunday, March 20, 2016, after a long and happy life followed by a brief hospice stay. Howard was a lifelong resident of King of Prussia, PA, spending his remaining years at Elm Terrace Gardens in Lansdale, PA. He was born in King of Prussia on December 8, 1920 and was the last surviving child of William Weber “Billy” Walker, Sr. and Helen (Beidler) Walker. He was the husband of the late Margaret (Horrocks) Walker, who was the long time organist of the First Baptist Church in Bridgeport, PA. He grew up on the Walker Dairy farm in King of Prussia before graduating from Penn State University with a B.S. in Agronomy in 1944. Howard was a proud Penn Stater, along with his eldest brother, William W. “Bud” Walker, Jr. (Dairy Husbandry) and youngest sister, Rebecca Jane (Walker) Jones (Phys. Ed.), where he served as President of TKE Fraternity, played football, sang in the Glee Club, and was President of the Clover Club. Like his father, Howard was an Upper Merion Township Supervisor for 6 years, and was instrumental in the townships infrastructure. He was also a long-time Director of the Upper Merion Building and Loan Association. Howard worked many years for Eastern States Farmers Exchange, who later merged with the Pennsylvania Farmers Bureau, to become Agway. Howard was a member of Lansdale Baptist Church in Lansdale and was a former member of Upper Merion Baptist Church in King of Prussia. Howard celebrated his 95th birthday in his Lansdale home with his family who provided him with some Penn State gifts for the occasion. He was a fun-loving father, grandfather and uncle who never really left the roots of the family dairy farm, slogan for which was well-known to its Great Valley customers, “You can’t beat our milk, but you can whip our cream!” His lifelong smile will be missed by many. Surviving is his loving children and grandchildren: a daughter, Margaret A. “Peggy” Walker of Brooklyn, NY; a son, David H. Walker and his wife, Maureen (Maud), of Austin, TX and their two grandsons, Michael and Robert Walker; and a host of devoted nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by the trio of Penn State siblings; two other sisters, Beryl Yeakel and Helen Louise Nelson; and one other brother, Richard Currie Walker. Visitation will be Tuesday, March 29, 2016 from 6 to 8:00 pm, at The Bacchi Funeral Home & Crematory, Ltd., 805 DeKalb St. (Rt. 202), Bridgeport, PA 19405; also Wednesday morning from 9:30 to 10:50 am, at the Upper Merion Baptist Church, 585 General Steuben Rd., King of Prussia, PA 19406. The Funeral Service will follow at 11:00 am. Interment will be in Valley Forge Memorial Gardens, King of Prussia. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Upper Merion Baptist Church, 585 General Steuben Rd., King of Prussia, PA 19406. Condolences at www.bacchifh.com