Rev. David E. Walker
The Dash, “So when your eulogy is being read, with your life’s actions to rehash, would you be proud of the things they say about how you lived your dash?” As a minister, “The Dash” was the subject of one of David’s favorite sermons and he fulfilled his dash, dying late Tuesday afternoon, September 14th 2021 at his residence outside of Lexington.
David was the youngest of six children born to the late Lucian Metelious and Ida Mae Anderson Walker on March 17, 1941 in the Chesterfield Community of Henderson County. It’s on this land, the same that began with his great great grandfather where he would spend his entire life with his family. In describing David the word Bivocational comes to mind. In addition to pastoring several churches and serving as pastor for Union Baptist for twenty-eight years, he had another full career with Century / Magnetek retiring in 2004 after forty years of service. It was here that he excelled, being self-taught, learning the new Commodore computer and implementing it in the manufacturing process at Magnetek. Using the new technology to improve efficiencies throughout the plant and raising quality control to new highs, David’s talents were shared with factories all around which allowed him to travel the world. And if this wasn’t enough, David was a 32 degree Mason and Shriner being a part of the Cheap Valley Lodge in Chesterfield and the Constantine Lodge in Lexington.
For the family that David left behind, he was their rock, for all the friends he made and for his former coworkers he was a gentle source of guidance. In June of this year he and his wife who survives him, Mary Ann Dickson Walker celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary. He was blessed to have two children, a daughter Shari (Mike) Smith and a son, Mark (Jayme) Walker; grandsons: Garrett (Elizabeth) Smith, Andrew Smith and Jack Walker; great granddaughters: Emmaline and Elaina Smith.
Visitation with the Walker family and the funeral service will be held at First Baptist Church of Lexington where they were members. The family will receive friends from 2 – 8 PM Thursday and 9 AM – until the time of service at 11:00 AM Friday at the First Baptist Church with Rev. Mike Thrower and Rev. Clay Hallmark officiating. Burial will follow in the Union Cemetery in the Chesterfield Community, the same land which was donated by his predecessors. For David Walker, he can proclaim, “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith” and, my dash is complete.
