Fredrick Arthur Walker (also known as Fred and Derrick) died peacefully at home with friends and family at Limestone Lodge in Athens, Alabama, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
Fred was born and raised in Hayward, Wisconsin. He graduated from Hayward High School and immediately enlisted in the US Army; he was stationed in Germany during the Allied Occupation. After Fred’s Army service, he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin, Superior, where he met the love of his life, Alice (Babe) Hassard. They were married on June 7, 1952.
Following college graduation, Fred taught high school in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, for one year. He then sought employment opportunities in sales and marketing with General Motors Acceptance Corporation and Masonite Corporation. These career decisions led to an exciting life of working in multiple locations throughout the Midwest and Southeast. Fred and Alice, with the help of their two children, renovated several homes in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Virginia, and North Carolina. When Fred wasn’t busy at work or fixing up houses, he was exploring golf courses.
In the 1980’s, while Fred and Alice were living at Cottage Place, their farm in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, Alice planned several family vacations to California. By 1987 she had convinced Fred that they should sell the farm and “retire” to Carmel, California. They renovated and sold three more houses from 1987-2005.
The Monterey Peninsula is known for great golf, and Fred took advantage of that by shooting his age often and chalking up six holes-in-one. In 1997 Fred started his second career as a Maintenance Associate at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach achieving the Monterey County Hospitality Association award for “Innovation and Technology” at the age of 91. Fred continued wood-working, painting, designing, plumbing, as well as making many friends at Poppy until August of 2022, when he officially retired at the age of 94.
In 2005 Fred and Alice sold their last home and moved to Canterbury Woods senior community in Pacific Grove, California where they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on June 7, 2022. Their 17 years at Canterbury was like living on a luxury cruise ship; phenomenal service and great dining.
Fred and his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Kathleen, moved to Athens, Alabama, in September of 2022, shortly after the death of Alice to be close to his family. He continued to occasionally play golf, attended Athens First Methodist Church, toured areas of North Alabama and Tennessee, and traveled to Wisconsin and Michigan for family events.
Fred is survived by his daughter Kathy (John) Anderson of Athens, Alabama, and son, John (Rosemary) of Ann Arbor, Michigan; three grandchildren, Mary Kathleen, Elizabeth Alice, and Patrick John; one great-grandson, Benjamin Patrick, and several nieces and nephews.
Fred’s family would like to thank the kind staff at Limestone Lodge for their care and understanding during the last two and half years of his life. His family is also grateful for the final days of personal attention provided by the caregivers of Home Care Assistance.
Funeral services will be held at Athens First Methodist Church, 208 West Hobbs Street, Athens, Alabama, 35611, at 10:30 am on Saturday, April 26, followed by a reception in the church Parlor.
In lieu of flowers, the family would love donations to be made in memory of Fred to Peace of Mind Dog Rescue, PO Box 51554, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 or at POMDR.org.
