Gene Walker

Gene Walker, age 68, the son of the late Gilmer and Alma Davidson Walker, went home to be with Jesus on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.  

Whether you knew him as husband, Dad, Pawpaw, friend or boss, Geno, Big Daddy, or just plain Gene, he had a special place in all of our hearts.  He wasn’t perfect - we all know that, but he was one-of-a-kind. He loved Jesus, his family, and people, and he was a servant at heart.  Whether he was running his company, cutting grass for a neighbor (or two) or volunteering at his church, Gene just loved to be around people, talking to them, and getting to know them.  At the end of the day, or on most Sunday afternoons, you could find him at Riverside Fish House in Dallas, or some other local restaurant, meandering from table to table, speaking to friends and strangers alike.  He might even refill your glass of tea for you.  He just simply never met a stranger, and he loved people.  

Speaking of people, he invited everyone he ever met to church - and he loved his church.  Gene attended Community Pentecostal Center for over 50 years, serving on church boards, singing in the choir, opening the gym for the men to play basketball (Gene’s rules, of course), cooking for the men’s fellowship breakfast, playing on the church softball team, and literally helping to build the current sanctuary and the Katie P. Smith Family Life Center.  He was the driving force and head chef for the annual CPC BBQ every year in March, fixing his “world-famous” BBQ, potato salad, BBQ slaw and baked beans.   You’ve heard the saying that all roads lead to home.  Well, for Gene, all roads lead by the church. He was always checking on something, and, if the doors were opened, you’d find him there working and talking…  

Beyond the church, Gene loved his hometown of Stanley, NC.  He could never leave for long, not even for vacation.  When asked why he never went to college, he simply said, “I never wanted to leave Stanley.”  And he never did for longer than a week or two every year, and even then he got homesick.  He built a life there with Mitzi, his wife of nearly 50 years.  They had two generations of kids - a surprise to them both, but what a blessing!  And then 11 grandkids and even one great-grandson.  He loved watching grandkids play baseball in the spring and fall and basketball in the winter months, and we even talked him into coming to watch a few plays!

He loved to grill big pans of food for the family, or take everyone out to eat, and he especially loved going on family vacations to Myrtle Beach and Disney World.  And he loved to buy anything with sugar in it to make his grandkids smile!  We always knew when his truck pulled up the driveway that he would be dropping off something yummy to eat!  

In recent years, he has enjoyed sitting at the First Baptist softball field where the churches from all over the community face off against each other.  It will be a little quieter this year without Gene there to heckle the players (and the umpires).  And I’m not sure if the future generations of diners at Hardee’s will know just how much they’ve missed without hearing your Donald Duck voice and ambulance whistles.  And we will surely never add quite enough pepper to the BBQ at the church.  Gene Walker, you will surely be missed…

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his sister Deborah Walker, and his grandson Micah Etchison.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife Mitzi Walker, his children: Amy Etchison (Mark), Jeremy Walker (Christie), Josef Walker, and Julie Walker; his siblings: Tim Walker (Cara), Susan Mauney (Kevin), and Ricky Walker (Amy);  his grandchildren: Clay, Joshua (Luci), Isaac, Caleb, Stephen, Moriah, Ethan, Gracen, Ari, and Jace; his great-grandson Rowan "Roland", as well as many nieces, nephews and friends.

A service to celebrate his life will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday March 10, 2024 at the Community Pentecostal Center in Stanley: 320 Ralph Handsel Blvd. Stanley, NC 28164 with Pastor Eddie McGinnis officiating.  The family will receive friends from 2:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Sunday also at the Church.  In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Community Pentecostal Center, 320 Ralph Handsel Boulevard, Stanley, NC 28164.

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