Wilfred J. Walker Sr.

Wilfred J. Walker, Sr., was born in Manning, South Carolina, on August 9, 1912, the fifth of seven children of Charles Franklin Walker and Florence Edwards Walker. All of his siblings – Charles Franklin Walker, Jr., Albertus Walker, Edward Walker, Thelma Walker Lee, Virginia Walker Brunson, Alexander Walker – predeceased him. In 1935, he was married to Edris Malinda Jackson of Orange, Virginia, a fellow classmate at Hampton University. Mrs. Walker and their children, Dolores Edris Walker Turner (Richard) and Air Force Lt. Col. (Retired) Wilfred J. Walker, Jr. (LaVerne), predeceased him. Mr. Walker leaves four grandchildren: Michael Shawn Turner, Edris Turner Tucker, Sean Wilfred Walker, and Yvette Walker Butler (Air Force Lt. Col - Retired Rhett); seven great-grandchildren: Rachel Malinda Tucker, Sariah Tucker Brown, Daria Tucker Johnson (Franz), Devin James Turner, Alexandria Rose Turner, Grant Walker Butler, and Simone Grayce Butler, as well as five great-great-grandchildren: Jamal Rollins, Jeremiah Jones, Jaylen Jones, Kaden Turner, and Aubrey Turner; an “adopted daughter,” Malinda (Thomas) Robinson; godsons, Marcus and Corey Robinson; a son-in-law, Dr. Richard M. Turner, III; and a host of devoted nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends, especially Doris V. Brunson, Sandra Lee Walker, and Barbara Lee Pittman.

Mr. Walker led an exemplary life with a keen focus on excellence and service. He was inspired by his parents, teachers and others to do his best always and to be more concerned about others than himself. He was the valedictorian of his high school class in Manning, SC, in 1930, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Trade Teaching at Hampton University (then, Hampton Institute) in 1935. At Hampton, he excelled in extracurricular activities, as well as in his academic work, as Secretary and President of the Fidi Amici Social Club; President and First Assistant Conductor of the Hampton Trade School Singers, which performed for President and Mrs. Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the East Room of the White House in 1935.

Upon receiving his baccalaureate degree at Hampton, Mr. Walker was employed by the Greenville County School District, Greenville, SC, to teach mathematics, English, drafting, plastering, brick-masonry, and other trowel trades at Sterling High School. He also served for 22 years as the Director of the Sterling High School Male Glee Club.In addition to his teaching, Mr. Walker was a counselor and mentor to his students, and formed lifelong friendships with many of them. Over the years, he was the honored guest of Sterling High School class reunions. His outstanding professional service led to his many “firsts.” He was appointed by the State Superintendent of Education to a committee to formulate a uniform state-wide course outline for instruction in the trowel trades. He organized the first plastering class for high school students in South Carolina. He served twice on committees to update the state examination and procedures for industrial education. He helped to organize the first regional trade and industrial clubs of the Southeast. He served two terms as President of the Palmetto State Trade and Industrial Education Association. He designed South Carolina’s Industrial Club Banner. When Sterling High School was destroyed by fire, he taught at Greenville High School and at the Donaldson Career Center, for several years, until his retirement in 1975.

Wilfred J. Walker broke the color line of South Carolina radio in 1948 (as Jackie Robinson had done so in major league baseball in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers), when he began radio and public address broadcasting of the Sterling High School football games at Sirrine Stadium, over Station WESC. Hence, he had had some prior radio experience when he did a weekly show, featuring the Sterling High School Male Quartet, over Station WFBC. The football simulcasts (public address and radio) of Sterling football games became an instant hit in Greenville and Mr. Walker was given an afternoon show over Station WAKE, which he named “Tip Time,” using Erskine Hawkins’ “Tipping In” as his theme song. With his new studio at WFBC, Mr. Walker changed the name of his show to “Wilfred Walker’s Variety Time,” to accommodate the tastes of his wider listening audience.

Wilfred J. Walker received numerous awards and recognitions for his meritorious achievements, including the following: being honored by the State House of Representatives, the State of South Carolina’s Senate, and in 2008, given the highest citizen award from the State of South Carolina, the Order of the Palmetto. Additionally, he was featured within the 1993 BellSouth South Carolina African American History Calendar (April), which included Mr. Walker’s portrait by J.R. Strange, a biographical sketch in the calendar and a video, highlighting some of his achievements.

Wilfred Walker’s sixty-eight-year marriage to Edris Jackson Walker appeared to have been a “match made in heaven.” They were mutually supportive of each other and in the rearing of their family. Mrs. Walker, who passed away in 2004 at age 92, was an educator in Greenville County for 37 years. She was a teacher at Sullivan Street Elementary School, Principal of Athens Elementary School, Travelers Rest, SC, and Principal of Westcliffe Elementary School, Greenville. She retired in 1977. She, like her husband, was very much involved in community activities as a volunteer and received many awards and honors for her service.

Mr. and Mrs. Walker were very much committed to their community and were active participants and contributors to civic organizations, including (but not limited to) the following: he was the first African American appointed to the Budget Committee of the Greenville Community Chest; first African American to enter Greenville’s March of Dimes Popularity Contest, finishing eighth in a field of seventy-five candidates; appointed by Mayor J. Kenneth Cass to the Interracial Awards Committee; Co-Chairman of the Sanitation and Safety Committee of the “Greenville’s Big Idea” Project; member of the Greenville Planning and Zoning Commission, 1952-1953 and 1975-1983; Charter Member of Club Esquire (1944) serving three terms as President; initiated into Phi Alpha Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity in 1947 and served eight years as Talent Hunt Chairman; Member of the Senior Trustee Board, Allen Temple AME Church; Building Committee Chairman for the construction of the Dreher Educational Complex, Designer and Co-sponsor of the Church Yard Sign and Bell Cornice on the Front Lawn, Allen Temple AME Church. And with all this activity, Mr. Walker was a lifelong avid tennis player and golfer.

Service to these organizations and others, too numerous to name, brought much joy and many lasting friendships to Mr. and Mrs. Walker, for which they repeatedly expressed their appreciation. They were loved by their community in return, whose sentiments they greatly treasured.

Wilfred Junius Walker, Sr., was a true renaissance man, a man for all seasons, who, like the productive servants in the Biblical Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25: 14-30), began life with a number of God-given talents and, through a long and useful life, multiplied them exponentially in service to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who must truly now say, “Well done, good and faithful son. Welcome home.”