She was born on April 15, 1941, in Amory, Mississippi, to Weston McKinney and Marie Boozer McKinney. She graduated from Amory High School in 1959 and from Mississippi State College for Women in 1963. On June 2, 1963, she married George Gerald Walker. She taught at Flora High School during the years that George was studying at the University of Mississippi Medical School. Following that, she was a faithful housewife and homemaker. They moved to Starkville in 1973 where George opened his ophthalmology practice. She was a life-long United Methodist and an active member of First United Methodist Church in Starkville. She served her church in many capacities on the local, district, and conference levels. At First United Methodist Church she was a member of numerous boards and committees, an active member and several time officer in the United Methodist Women, and volunteer with children’s choirs. As a part of the worship committee, she was a communion steward and used her gifts as a seamstress to make paraments for the sanctuary and stoles for the clergy. She served as a layperson on the Starkville District Committee on Ministry and on the Mississippi Conference Board of Ministry. She was First United Methodist Church’s lay delegate to the Mississippi Annual Conference for many years. She also spent many years faithfully serving as a board member of the Mississippi State University Wesley Foundation. In addition to all of this, to numerous to count are the cakes, cookies, cheese straws, and gallons of punch made for church functions.
Ann was a wonderful friend. She never missed a birthday or other occasion and was always sending a card or making a phone call to check in on others. Up unto her last day, she was on her phone talking with her friends, something which she truly enjoyed.
She is preceded in death by her father, Weston McKinney, mother, Marie Boozer McKinney, brother, William B. McKinney, and grandson, Weston Timothy Meadows.
Survivors are husband of fifty-eight years, Dr. George Gerald Walker; daughters Cherie Walker Meadows (Tim) of Livingston / Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Patricia Walker Gordy (Jason) of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; brother, James McKinney of Texarkana, Texas; grandsons Walker Charles Meadows, Seth Lawrence Meadows, George Griffin Gordy, William Gaines Gordy, and Matthew Graham Gordy, and several nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be held at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Starkville on Thursday, December 23, at 10:00 am, Rev. Hugh Griffith officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial gifts be made to the Mississippi State University Wesley Foundation.
