Val Davis Walker, 79, passed away peacefully on May 7, 2020. He was born in Pocatello, Idaho on July 25, 1940. He was the youngest of four children in the home of Sterling Guy Walker and Dorothy Jenson Walker, both who preceded him in death as well as his brother, Guy Loell Walker.
As a child, he built his own treehouse and, by taking apart old radio parts, he ran wires for electricity for his little house in the back yard. His love of electronics carried him through a master’s in electrical engineering and many hours earned in computer science over the years. He built his own computer in the 1970s and invented several electronic chips that received patents. His work life was spent working on airplanes for Boeing in Washington, working on atomic bombs in Las Vegas, chips for cars for Motorola in Arizona, and software and hardware for office machines for Hulett Packer in Colorado.
He served in the Navy from 1963 to 1967 and spent 60 years working his ham radio talking to people all over the world on a daily basis. He once met a man on the road who recognized Val’s call sign from their car license. They stopped and had a great chat in person.
He attended school and got degrees from state colleges in Idaho, Washington, Arizona, and Colorado. He loved to learn about all kinds of subjects and kept extensive, organized records of his findings.
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, he served a mission to Northern Mexico, and actively served in many wards, stakes, and temples in four states. He and Rita also served a second mission in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2003-2005.
He married Deanna Swanson and had three children. After a divorce, he married Rita Bacon Henderson and together they raised five children: Stephanie Walker Ford, Katrina Walker Mandel, Brian Walker, Lisa Walker Murdock, and Rita Jo Walker Stewart. As a family, they enjoyed music, camping, dirt bike riding, and skiing. Many times they got caught by a sudden rain or snow storm in the beautiful Colorado Mountains that they all loved.
Val will be remembered for his attention to detail, careful organization, and strong work ethic. He always had an active mind and enjoyed helping others. He leaves behind five children, fifteen grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at Mountain View Funeral Home and Cemetery in Mesa, Arizona on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 10:00am.
The family asks for those wishing to attend services to do so virtually by clicking on the link below. This link will become active at 9:45am on Tuesday, May 19, 2020.
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