Roy Gifford Walker, 83, son of the late Bonnie and Osie (Reed) Walker, was born November 4, 1940, in Trenton, MO. He passed away on September 6, 2024, at North Kansas City Hospital in North Kansas City, MO.
Roy attended elementary and high school in Laredo, MO. He spent two years in the armed service, from 1963 to 1965, serving for a time at Ft. Sill, OK, and Ft. Benning, GA, where he trained as a paratrooper with the Airborne Division. Later, he served as a drill sergeant, teaching hand-to-hand combat methods before his honorable discharge in 1965. Roy returned to the Trenton, MO, area and worked in the construction industry for 20 years, then as an over-the-road truck driver, hauling freight across the country for 27 years.
Roy was united in marriage to Ella Mae Wilkison, and they are the parents of two children: Nancy and Mike. This union ended in divorce. Later, Roy married Patricia Harris on December 7, 1984, in St. Joseph, MO. They lived in Holden, MO, while Patricia worked as a nurse and later moved to Montrose, MO when they retired.
Roy was preceded in death by Patricia in September 2014, his wife of 30 years, whom he cared for during her last two years of illness. In addition to his wife and parents, Roy was preceded in death by his siblings: Carl D. Walker (d. 1992) and his wife Jolene Walker (d. 2013) of Trenton, MO; his sisters, Velma I. (Walker) Clark (d. 2002) of Milan, MO, and Mildred (Walker) Hammond (d. 2010) of Trenton, MO; and his brother-in-law Norman (d. 2022) of Trenton, MO. He is survived by his sister Veda Stewart of Trenton, MO, and his brother Lester James “L.J.” Walker of Phoenix, AZ.
Roy is also survived by his two children: Nancy (Charles) Engeman of Montrose, MO, and Mike (Sandy) Walker of Harrisonville, MO. Additionally, he is survived by five step-children: Karen Dickens of Grain Valley, MO, Sennie (Marvin) Pierson of Blue Springs, MO, Mark (Esmarelda) Neal of McAllen, TX, Matthew (Kelly) Neal of Higginsville, MO, and Kelly James Neal of Alexandria, TN. He leaves behind 20 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held at Hill & Son Funeral Home, 213 W. 6th Street, Appleton City, MO 64724, on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Funeral Service will follow on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. with burial in the Montrose Cemetary located on SW KK Highway in Montrose, Missouri.
