Shirley L. Walker

In memory of Shirley Loretta Walker

Shirley Loretta Walker, 96, of New Freedom passed away Monday, March 6, 2023. Born in 1927 in Oakland, CA, she was the daughter of the late Anthony and Alice (Marshall) Rocha. She was the beloved wife of the late Donald G. Walker.

She lived during a time of historical events. She was very young when the Depression hit. She mentioned how she was grateful her father was a baker because he remained employed during the Depression. One of the highlights of Shirley`s High School years was participating on the debate team. Getting up on stage in front of the auditorium full of students and teachers took a lot of self-confidence. She convinced the student body to buy war bonds during WWII.

Employment history included elevator operator, bank teller, department store clothing clerk, and laboratory research technician. Shirley was especially proud of working in the lab. At a time when women rarely had an opportunity to work in the field of science, she successfully completed on the job training in the lab and performed meticulous preparations for research.

Shirley moved to Berkeley, CA in her 20`s and met her future husband Don Walker at the Univ. of CA, Berkeley. Shortly after they married, Don`s work took them to Portland, OR. They started their family and Vikki and Greg were born. Don accepted a teaching and research position at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1954. Shirley loved to tell the story about Don coming home with steamed crabs for their first dinner. It took a while for her to learn to appreciate hard shelled crabs and the Baltimore humidity.

Their family grew over the next 10 years, adding 4 more children. The duplex house purchased new was bursting at the seams. Don talked Shirley into moving from the suburbs out to the country, and they rented a farm with 120 acres of peace and quiet in Hereford, MD. The bliss (which included hand picking one acre of corn and taking care of horses) lasted only one year and once again they were on the move.

As Don once said, Shirley was the hub; the six children were the spokes, and he was the rim of the wheel. The wheel rolled down another dirt road, a shorter one, to Woodcrest Lane near Loch Raven Reservoir. Don and Shirley worked together in the same lab at Johns Hopkins. They commuted every day to and from for ten years. Life was buzzing. Family was always the most important part of her life with extended camping at Acadia in Bar Harbor, in close proximity to Jackson Lab, entertaining distant friends or relatives from California, adventurous snake trips, shuttling to baseball and sports events, movie theater jobs, flute and Peabody piano lessons, and of course, always cooking, and cooking and more cooking.

After the passing of her beloved husband, Shirley continued to work independently in a research lab at Johns Hopkins, working with other lab technicians twice her younger with master’s degrees.  Her jobs changed over the years – medical secretary, elderly care giver, babysitter. She was never idle. She discovered a latent love for ballroom dancing and swimming. There was the touring Monet visit in DC to catch, and new operas to see, and she followed her dream to see Europe.  Her sister Dee shared many loves and interests, notably her love for Pomeranians. She also joined friends, family and tour group adventures to Portugal, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, England, and Scotland. The children did their best to keep track of  her. She was “Gran” to 12 grandchildren. The family bonds strengthened over the years in part because mom drew us all together.

Shirley is survived by her 6 children: Vikki Creswell (John), Greg Walker (Carol), Chris Walker (Cindy), Donna Peeler (John), Brenda Walten, Ben Walker (Betsy), 12 grandchildren, and her sister Delores Laird.

She is preceded in death by her brother Anthony Rocha, Jr. and sister Geri O’Neil; along with her parents and husband.

Services are private at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to SpiriTrust Lutheran Home Care & Hospice 180 Leader Heights Rd. Suite 1, York, PA 17402 or through https://www.spiritrustlutheran.org/philanthropy-2/ways-to-give/

www.HartensteinCares.com