Richard Elliot Walker, beloved husband, father, son, and brother was called home to his Father in Heaven unexpectedly on Friday, January 13th, 2023. He was born September 11, 1948 to Elliot Smith Walker and Mary Louise Richardson Walker in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was the first of five children. He grew up in his family home across the street from the University of Utah, attending Elementary and Junior High at Stewart School on the U of U campus. He attended East High School in Salt Lake City, graduating in 1966. He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Western Australian Mission from 1968-1970.
His wife, KC, also attended East High, but Richard was a Senior when she was a lowly Sophomore. Even though he knew who she was, they never officially met until the day that he returned from his mission, and KC was dating one of his friends. This friend kept telling KC, "I can't wait for you to meet my friend, Richard Walker! You're going to love him!" He was so right!
Richard and KC were married for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City Temple on November 24, 1971 by church patriarch Eldred G. Smith. They lived at the University of Utah as KC finished her degree, and then they moved to Logan, Utah so he could attend the School of Geography at Utah State University. He earned a bachelor's degree in Urban Planning. They were blessed with their first two children, Michael Richard, and Jeffrey William while living in Logan. They moved to Price, Utah where Richard worked as a Carbon County planner during the "coal boom of the 1970s." There they were blessed with two more children, Mary Ellen, and Scott Joseph.
They moved to their current home in Sandy, Utah in 1984 where they raised their children while Richard worked for the Utah Department of Community and Economic Development. He served as the Director of Housing, earning recognition as the Governor's Manager of the Year for 2001-2002. He also served on the Sandy City Historic Preservation Commission, and he earned the District Award of Merit from The Boy Scouts of America for his service as a Scout Master. He was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serving in many callings over the years, including Bishop, Stake Clerk, Stake High Council, and Stake Young Men's President in the Sandy Utah Hillcrest Stake. He was a beloved home teacher to many families in the Hillcrest 5th Ward over the years. He was especially blessed to be able to fulfill a long-time dream of serving a mission with his dear wife in the Scotland-Ireland Mission from June 2013 to June 2014.
Richard was an avid outdoorsman with a passion for fishing and hunting big and small game. He was a purist at heart, preferring to fish only for trout in various ways. He made countless trips to Strawberry Reservoir with just his float tube and his fly rod, returning home sometimes with large rainbow trout, or at least stories of the fish he caught. He also had a special place in his heart for the Green River and tried to make an annual trek there every spring for flyfishing. He loved mule deer hunting especially, but also enjoyed hunting elk, ducks, pheasants, chukar and various other species. He and his sons would join his brother, Clark, and other friends and family on a yearly adventure to South Dakota to pursue pheasants.
These trips became a highlight of the year for the past 23 years with very few exceptions. He had a special way of talking about the outdoors that would inspire others around him to seek their own adventures, or to tag along with him absorbing his knowledge and experience along the way.
Richard is survived by his loving wife, Kathleen Claire "KC" Pugh Walker, and four wonderful children:
Michael (Rachelle), Jeffrey (Julianne), Mary Ellen, and Scott (Marcie). He was also the proud grandfather of 12 perfect grandchildren: Ethan, Daxton, Elijah, Addison, Raegan, Benjamin, Talon, Joseph, Hazen, Isaac, Emerson, Paislyn. He is also survived by his siblings: Russell (Denise), Virginia (husband Patrick Froehling), Clark (Laura), Mary Jane (husband Doug Quayle). Preceded in death by his parents.
Interment at the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
The family would like to thank the Spanish Fork Police Department and Utah County Sheriff's offices for their assistance. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Humanitarian Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Kathy Schoenhals (Feigal)
Dennis Lawrence wrote this upon notifying us of Richard's death:
Today I sadly learned of the death of Richard. For years I have been trying to locate him. He never attended or contacted the old Stewart School group, nor did he post his contact in the East High online registry or attend any of the reunions. I guess I did not try hard enough and now I'm sad. Richard and I attended Stewart School together beginning in Kindergarten thru 9th grade. I want to believe that he was in nursery school with me on the U of U campus in the old home economics building above Stewart School. We would walk to his home on University Street nearly every day. That's where I met his great father and mother. His father taught me electronics...how to build electronics kits and how to solder circuits. Sometimes I spent more time with him than with Richard. We lost contact at East High. But after our missions picked it up again. He was an usher at our wedding and both Richard and KC had dinner with Jan and I in those early days. Then we lost contact again when he attended Utah State. There are many memories that need to be shared but will have to wait for now.
Candace Hyde (Wang)
Dear, dear Richard. My first crush in kindergarten. He lived just acroos the street from Stuart School and we often walked home together. May he rest peacefully.