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WALKER -- George W. Walker, 84, born October 20, 1919 in Piedmont, Missouri, passed away quietly on November 3, 2003, alert to the end, with his family, following a brief illness. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him. George grew up on a farm, the fifth child and only son of George Washington Walker and Martha Susan Eaton Walker. He graduated from Parma High School in 1937 and, determined to get a college education, worked and attended Southeast Missouri State Teachers College, Washington University in St. Louis, and St. Louis University. College was interrupted by the War, and in February 1941, he joined the Navy, trained to become a pilot, and was stationed at Navy Pier in Chicago, Ames, Iowa, Livermore, California and Jacksonville, Florida. He logged more than 5000 hours in many different planes, and served mostly as a Navy flight instructor and on submarine patrol on the Eastern seaboard. Honorably discharged as a Lieutenant, Junior Grade, George started law school in St. Louis but moved to New Mexico and received his law degree with the first graduating class from the UNM School of Law in 1950. George practiced law for several years until his interest in real estate led him to become a broker and subsequently to open his own agency. He went on to become one of New Mexico's leaders in residential and commercial real estate, most notably with the long-prominent Walker-Hinkle Real Estate Company. With others he developed several Albuquerque landmarks, including the First National Bank Building East, Two Park Central Tower, North 14's Sierra Vista subdivision, McLeod Business Park, the Bella Vista Ranch in Edgewood, Sun Village Apartments and many other residential, commercial and industrial projects. He recently completed industrial parks in Southwest Albuquerque, a residential subdivision in Corrales, and at the time of his death was working on a residential project in Santa Fe County. He will be remembered as a mentor in the real estate community and as an honorable businessman, preferring to resolve differences over lunch rather than in court. During his years in real estate, he served and was honored by his colleagues in many ways, including being elected President of the Realtors Association of New Mexico, named RANM Realtor of the Year and Albuquerque Board of Realtors Realtor of the Year, and served as a Director of the National Association of Realtors. George was a horseman and athlete all his life - participating in swim, boxing and tennis competitions while in the Navy, and taking first place in the Navy Pre-Flight School obstacle course championships in 1943. He ran, took long walks and became an avid golfer, and remained in excellent health until very shortly before his death. His interests ran from history and politics to weather and gardening. He keenly followed (and participated in) the local debate on land use planning, loved to talk about the explorations of Lewis and Clark, and greatly appreciated home-grown tomatoes, strawberries and roses. He ran for the NM State House of Representatives, as a Democrat, in the 1960's. He loved the western landscape and enjoyed traveling with his family on long summer trips by motorhome. He was predeceased by his eldest sister, Clarice Bradshaw. He is survived by his wife, Bobbi; and by three of his older sisters, Myra Rathgen of St. Louis, Lenna Chastain of Houston, and Geneva Schmidt of Sun City; his children, William Walker (wife, Laure van Heijenoort, son Jacob) of Los Ranchos; Martha Walker Cady (her children Ian, Ben, and Rose) of Albuquerque; Alice Walker (husband, Joshua Hoffman, sons, Zachary and Nigel) of Sacramento; Judith Walker Bruesch (husband, Gordon) of Albuquerque; and Thomas Walker (wife, Jane, children, Noah and Grace) of Corrales, and by their mother and George's dear friend, Irene Walker. There will be a Memorial on Sunday, November 23, 2003 from 1:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. at Four Hills Country Club in Albuquerque. "Time is a capital asset…how you spend it is the difference between success and failure." (Ben Franklin) George spent his time enjoying life, living fully, and sharing the profit of his sharp mind, hard work and sense of humor to his last day.
        Published on: Sun November 09, 2003