John Walker, 80
Retired author, publisher, and graphic advertising artist John David (J.D.) Walker, 80, of Red Oak, went to be with Jesus on Monday, July 3, 2023. He died at the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital, Red Oak.
Born Nov. 2, 1942, in Winfield, Kansas, to Kenneth Coral and Josephine Elizabeth (Wells) Walker, John’s family moved to Lawrence, Kan., in 1943. John graduated from Lawrence High School in 1960 and began his higher education at Kansas University, then spent 33 years gathering credits for bachelor’s degrees in Journalism (1975) and Business Administration (1984) at nearby colleges and universities while managing circulation departments of daily newspapers in Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Kansas (1962 to 1972). He then published three weekly newspapers in Minnesota before moving his family to Red Oak in 1977 to direct the advertising department of The Red Oak Express until his retirement in 1991. John completed his master’s degree in Business Administration in 1993. John then developed an advertising agency (ANIJON Enterprises) serving the print-advertising needs of a number of wholesale and retail establishments, and full-time primary client Growth Unlimited Corp. of Red Oak, until his final retirement in 2008. John married his high school sweetheart, Katherine Anita Jane Thomas in 1962, and to this union were born two children, Jennifer and Coral.
John was a 46-year member of First United Methodist Church of Red Oak, B.P.O.E. Lodge #1304 of Red Oak, and the Red Oak Optimist Club (Past President and board member), a Life Member of Optimist International, a member of Gideon’s International (SW IA Camp) and the “Merc Coffee Club” of Red Oak. John was also a past member and board member of the Red Oak Chamber of Commerce and belonged to a number of business and professional organizations. John enjoyed golf until several years ago and was an avid motorcyclist, from his teens until his health began to fail in recent years. Over the years, John enjoyed “touring” trips via motorcycle from Maine to California and almost all of the states in between.
John was predeceased by his parents; wife, Anita (1942-2007)); daughter, Jennifer Lynn Shaffer (1964-2010) of Liberty, Mo.; sister, Rebecca Castro (1946-2014) of Lawrence, Kan.; step-son, Ronald Dilocker (1954-2013) of Red Oak; brothers-in-law, James Thomas (1937-2012) of Wichita, Kan.; Gayle Farlee (1936-2014) of Cherokee; Jack D’Angelo (1927-2019) of Mesa, Ariz.; and Frank Magana (1937-2021) of Kansas City, Kan.
In 2012, John married Donna Mae (Farlee) Smith of Red Oak, who survives at their home. Also surviving are his son, Coral (“Cory”) David Walker II (Nicole) of Papillion, Neb.; step-daughter, Kimm Dilocker of Omaha, Neb.; son-in-law, Robert (Karen) Shaffer of Liberty, Mo.; five grandchildren, seven step-grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and four step-great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Margaret (Tom) Dixon of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; Merry Farlee of Cherokee; and Dotty D’Angelo of Mesa, Ariz.; brother-in-law, Vincent Castro of Lawrence, Kan.; sisters, Julia Magana of Kansas City, Kan.; Martha (David) Abendroth of Eureka Springs, Ark.; Mary (Doug) Harris of Yarmouth, Maine; brothers, Kenneth Richard (Mary Lynn) Walker of Hutchinson, Kan.; and Paul (Kate) Walker of Eudora, Kan.; and many friends and other relatives.
Celebration of Life service will be held at First United Methodist Church, 6th & Hammond Streets, Red Oak, on Thursday, July 13, 2023, at 11 a.m.
Visitation with the family will be on Thursday, July 13, 2023, from 10 a.m. until service time of 11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church.
Memorials are suggested to Red Oak Optimist Club or Red Oak Elks Lodge.
Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at sldfuneralhome.com.
Sellergren-Lindell-DeMarce Funeral Home is in charge of John’s arrangements and serving his family.