George William "Bill" Walker Jr., age 69, passed away on January 1, 2015. Bill was born to the late George William and Mildred Walker in Baltimore, Maryland. He attended Maryvale Preparatory School and Loyola Blakefield High School. He then graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a degree in political science in 1965. He also attended University of Maryland, where he pursued his post-graduate studies.


In 1986, Bill was ordained a Deacon and served at Our Lady of the Fields Church in Millersville, Maryland. He later served at St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Bill was blessed with a deep faith and strong respect for the sanctity of life. While living in Crownsville, Maryland, he and his wife, Laurie, were actively involved with Our Lady of the Fields Church, Birthright of Annapolis, and Welcome Home, a shelter home for single mothers. When they moved to Delaware, Bill became a Hospice volunteer but also continued to periodically serve at Our Lady of the Fields Church.


Bill was a 24-year veteran of Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) programs in Maryland. He had a combination of public and private sector experience, with a career-long emphasis on rural economic development issues. In 1973, he began work with ARC and from 1975 to 1997, he served as ARC's program manager in Maryland. In addition to ARC, he also served as executive director of the Maryland Rural Development Council and the acting director of the Maryland Department of Housing's Community Assistance Administration. In October of 1997, he was appointed to States' Washington Representative by the Governors of the 13 Appalachian states. He was responsible for serving as liaison and adviser between the Appalachian Governors and the Commission. Bill retired from this position in 2004.


Bill and Laurie also owned and operated a horse boarding facility in Prince George's County for 10 years until they moved to Delaware where they retired. They spent many wonderful golden years together and were married for almost 44 years. Laurie and Bill traveled throughout the world and entertained friends and neighbors at their beach house in Delaware. Bill also enjoyed fishing, crabbing, and bonfires on the beach. However, the joy of his life was always being with the family. Bill loved being with his wife, daughter, son-in-law and the grandchildren. He was always eager to help with the grandchildren and greatly enjoyed playing with them and being their Papa.


Bill is survived by: his wife, Laurel (Laurie) Charlotte Walker; his daughter Kristen (Swartz) and her husband Brian of Severna Park, Maryland; his three grandchildren Brady, Ava, and Olivia Swartz; and his younger brother Timothy Walker of Hillsboro, West Virginia.

Family and friends may visit on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm, with a Christian wake service from 7:30pm to 8:00pm at Our Lady of the Fields Catholic Church in Millersville.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, January 8, 2015 at 11:00am at Our Lady of the Fields Catholic Church.

Interment will be in the Our Lady of the Fields Cemetery immediately following the Mass of Christian Burial.


In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be sent to Birthright of Annapolis located at 269A Building 1, Peninsula Farm Road, Arnold, Maryland 21012 in memory of George William Walker.