SHARPS—William Middleton “Billy” Walker Jr. passed away peacefully at his home in Sharps on May 25, 2017.
Billy was born on November 4, 1931, in Richmond and was the only son of William M. Walker Sr. and Margaret Shackleford Walker and devoted husband of Barbara English Walker.
After graduating from Warsaw High School in 1948, he attended Randolph Macon College in Ashland, where he received his bachelor’s in sociology. Billy excelled in both basketball and baseball. He was named the captain of the Virginia All State baseball team twice.
Upon graduation he was drafted into and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Billy was stationed in Augusta, Ga., where he served as an instructor. This is where he realized that teaching was his calling. After his service in the Army, Billy began a successful 30-year teaching and coaching career at Washington and Lee High School in Montross and finished his career at Lancaster High School in Lancaster.
During his basketball coaching career, Billy’s teams won over 400 games and in 1982 he received an award for his district by the national coaches association. He was inducted into the Randolph Macon Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005, the Northern Neck Sports Wall of Fame in 2000 and the Washington and Lee Hall of Fame in 2015.
After retiring from his teaching career, Billy spent the next 10 years cruising timber which allowed him to spend time outdoors where he was in his element. When not in the woods he could most often be found trolling the Rappahannock River for his next catch or spending time with his family. Billy parlayed his love of the outdoors by serving on the Richmond County Wetlands Board.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Barbara English Walker; sons, Bill Walker III (Glenda), Tyler Walker, Bob Walker, Jack Walker (Lisa) and grandchildren Cynthia, William IV, Margaret, Blake, Hannah, Jackson and Taylor.
The family received friends at from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 27, at Welch Funeral Home, Warsaw.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 28, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Warsaw.
In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to Hospice of Virginia, P. O. Box 2098, Tappahannock, VA 22560, or St. John’s Episcopal Church (Warsaw) Cemetery, P. O. Box 1093, Warsaw, VA 22572.
