Willie Otis Walker, Sr. – Metropolitan Funeral
On Tuesday, November 29, 2022, Willie Otis Walker, Sr., affectionately known as Otis, Pa-Pa, Daddy, and Mr. Willie O., was a beloved son; husband; father; brother; uncle; grandfather; great-grandfather; and great-great-grandfather, left his physical being and began his spiritual journey with family by his side. He was born on July 20, 1926, to the late John Walter Walker, Sr. and Maggie Johnson Walker in Bishop, GA (Oconee County). God blessed him to live 35,161 days on this earth and in his final hours, he was calling on the name of God.
As a youngster in the mid 1930’s, Willie’s family relocated to Atlanta, GA where he was educated in the Atlanta Public School System. He worked in a BBQ café owned by his uncle Bradford Walker, who was well known for his BBQ ribs wherein people would come from many miles to buy them. Willie worked alongside his uncle Bradford and learned to cook many delicious meals. He had a knack for making homemade delicious donuts and roasting peanuts to perfection.
Willie joined the U.S. Navy in 1945 three years after Black men were permitted to join. His brothers John Jr. and Earnest joined the U.S. Army around the same time. He proudly served during the end of World War II and most of the Korean War with the rating or job specialty of steward (prepared and served meals for officers and ship’s crew). During his time in the Navy, the ratings for “Negroid” men (as noted on his DD 214 – military service retirement from active-duty document) were traditional “Jim Crow” Navy roles (cooks, stewards, or unrated laborers, unloading ships and handling munitions). He encountered and endured much racism as only 5% of the Navy was comprised of Black men. Nevertheless, Willie was eager to share that he was an honorably discharged Navy sailor and not an Army soldier. He received several decorations and medals to include the American Theatre, Victory Medal, and Good Conduct. While serving in the Navy, his travels brought him to Portsmouth, VA. In October 1945, he met and fell in love with Gloria Mae Benton. Willie and Gloria married on July 8, 1946, in Portsmouth, VA. Gloria was affectionately called “Miss Gloria” by Willie until her transition to be with the Lord on January 3, 2021; she affectionately called him “Pa Pa.” Their blessed union of almost 75 years produced seven children: Willie Jr., Evelyn, Ernest Morris, Kennith, Elton Leo, Yvette, and David. “Pa Pa and Miss Gloria” also reared three siblings Gloria’s two nieces, Margretia “Greta” Robinson Tyler and Cassandra Robinson Stancil for the first nine years of their lives. Gloria’s nephew, Raymond Robinson, Jr., was legally adopted by Willie and Gloria, and remained in their home. Willie and Gloria were blessed to experience five generations with the births of two great-great-grandsons Jamari and Trystan.
Willie loved the Lord and joined Third Baptist Church (TBC), Portsmouth, VA on May 5, 1957, where he attended Sunday School and was an usher. He also enjoyed reading the bible and visiting churches of different denominations. He was quiet and reserved, and many did not know he had a deep abiding faith and prayer life that carried him through many of life’s struggles. Willie attended Norfolk Division Virginia State College (now Norfolk State University) in the early 1960’s and earned a certificate in brick masonry and carpentry. He also enjoyed: painting houses, planting vegetable gardens, landscaping, and lawn services for hire. He also crafted leather purses, played guitar and harmonica, and daily read every page of the Virginian-Pilot and Ledger Star local newspaper. One could also consider Willie as a “modern-day” Uber driver because he graciously gave rides to many people. In Willie’s latter years, he would sing for the family “God Bless America” and “Like a Tree Planted by the Water.” He loved using his serving table as a drum and tapping his feet on the hard wood floor to make “beats” for everyday entertainment with Yvette as she played an old wash board that is over 75 years old. Willie enjoyed watching TV and he spent countless hours watching his favorite television shows – westerns, game shows and NFL football games with his son Kennith (his live-in caregiver until his death on June 13, 2022). For the past few years, his daily morning caregiver, Deborah Parker, and great-grandson Jamal (caregiver since October 1, 2022), stepped up to assist Willie Jr. (son) and Paul (son-in-law) to keep him company. Willie reminisced about his childhood and Navy adventures and drink his favorite thirst quenching iced cold water or “coke-cola,” while of course snacking on his favorite cookies.
Willie was known to constantly tell everyone about the importance of being in fresh air, exercising, and the benefits of layering clothing while in the heat (which he often demonstrated). Some of Willie’s favorite past times were sitting on the front porch all year long and walking briskly numerous times around the perimeter of the yard to stretch out his body. Even though Willie was soft spoken and a man of few words, he would provide sage advice and engage in conversation and discuss topics you didn’t know or wouldn’t think he was aware of especially news events, politics, and even the death of Michael Jackson. If you asked him to borrow a tool or ladder, he would graciously give it to you, but it wouldn’t be in the best condition. He would say, “I don’t loan out my good stuff, people return it broken and say they didn’t do it!” In his lifetime he owned several cars but would never let anyone drive them but himself which made him the chauffeur for his Miss Gloria to Third Baptist Church and other places for numerous services and meetings. He was sometimes affectionately called a Safeway Cab driver and was a “modern-day” navigation system (MapQuest or Waze) because he liked cruising around Portsmouth and drove all the back roads and shortcuts hardly ever using the interstate; hopefully you weren’t in a hurry to get to your destination. He would say, “Pile into the backseat first!” Then, he would select who was to sit behind him and in the front seat. He was very polite and unintentionally humorous in sometimes making funny statements (he had no filter); all you could do was laugh as he kept a straight face. Willie was known to be clairvoyant and would tell Miss Gloria that someone was pregnant when they entered their home. Miss Gloria would say, “No, that is not correct.” Then, she would have to rescind her statement and tell him indeed, he was correct. Willie professed his love for his wife, Miss Gloria by deed and thought. Whenever Miss Gloria was gone from their home overnight (it didn’t matter how many times), he would not sleep in their bed. Anyone who tried to convince him otherwise to not sleep on the sofa would be told, “I will return to our bed when Miss Gloria comes home and can join me!” After 74 plus years of marriage, he was overheard telling her how he wanted to marry a good Christian woman to raise a family, and that she was that woman, and it was his duty to make sacrifices. Soon thereafter, he gave her all his money out what he called his man pocketbook (wallet).
Willie was hospitalized with pneumonia on November 10, 2022. This was the first time he spent the night in a hospital since he had half a lung removed on his left side after contracting tuberculosis (TB), while in the Navy in 1947. He was not on any medication for any illness and never had a primary care physician until he turned 94 years old in July 2020 (which he objected to). Up until the last few years, he enjoyed using several different types of tobacco products for over 80 years. He believed he never had cancer, a heart attack or a stoke because he bought loose tobacco and rolled his own cigarettes while sitting on the porch steps in God’s fresh air, with his legs crossed, wearing a fedora hat or baseball cap, styled the “Willie O. way.” He was often questioned about what he was rolling and smoking with the purchase of Tops Cigarette Papers. He would say, “Just a regular no filter cigarette, not one of the funny ones!” He never liked taking pictures; however, Miss Gloria persuaded him to pose for pictures. Now the family has several pictures to accompany their black and white wedding picture taken when he was 20 years old and she was 18 years old. As the patriarch and last remaining Walker family member from Georgia, Willie and his late sister Elsie Walker Myrick of Los Angeles, CA, worked diligently to ensure their legacies (children) bonded from Los Angeles to Chicago to Portsmouth – in mind, spirit, and heart.
Willie was preceded in death by his wife of almost 75 years Gloria Mae Benton Walker; parents, Maggie and John Walker, Sr.; three sons, Elton Leo and Kennith Walker, Raymond Robinson, Jr.; daughter-in-law, Laverne Freeman Walker; two brothers, John Jr., and Earnest Walker; two sisters, Ada Bell Walker Harris and Elsie Walker Myrick, and all Benton sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.
He is survived by a loving family including five children: Willie Jr. and Ernest Morris Walker, Evelyn Yoakum (Paul), Yvette Countryman of Clinton, MD, David Walker (Jacqueline) of Charlotte, NC; nine grandchildren: Theresa Hancock, Valerie Llanos (Hector), Paula Yoakum, Garelle, Jermaine and Jerod Walker (Sandra), Michelle Jones (Edward) of Philadelphia, PA, Rodney Walker of Kuwait City, Kuwait, Kristie Walker-Nwagbara (John) of Bolingbrook, IL; seven great-grandchildren: Jamal and TyShaun Walker, Kenneth and Breanna Yoakum and Myles Walker of Portland, Oregon, Emeka and Adanna Dike-Nwagbara of Bolingbrook, IL; two great-great-grandchildren: Jamari Linde and Trystan Edmonds; special nephews and niece: Pierce Harris, Jr. of Chicago, IL, and Emory Ron and Patricia Myrick of Los Angeles, CA; a host of nieces, nephews, kinfolks and friends.
Special thanks to his devoted family and caregivers: Kennith Walker (son – deceased), Jamal Walker (great-grandson), Jermaine Walker (grandson), and children. Dedicated health care providers: Deborah Parker, Zena Steele, Harriett Nicholson, and Carolyn Miles.
Mr. Willie Otis Walker, Sr., was a proud Navy World War II and Korean War veteran, who was loved and cared for by his wife, Gloria, and family. He served his country with honor, courage, undying commitment, and distinction when it was very difficult. Take your well-deserved rest…so long, farewell, and AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
