Robert (Bob) Walker

Robert “Bob” Franklin Walker was born November 6, 1931, in Herrin, Illinois to Agnes (Maxwell) and Robert Clyne Walker. He graduated from Herrrin Township High School in 1949. During his high school years he was an avid tennis, softball and piano player. He also began his television/radio career at WJPF in Herrin, Illinois. From 1951 to 1954, Bob served his country in the Air Force and was stationed in South Africa during the Korean War. Following his military service, he attended Southern Illinois University as a voice major. He debuted at the St. Louis Opera as the role of “Sacristan” from Tosca in 1961. He married Marilyn Bagwell in 1961 and one child was born of this marriage, Robert Jerome in 1962. Bob lived in Dallas and worked at WFAA from 1961 to 1963 as the station manager and news director. He was best known for breaking the stories of the Kennedy and Oswald Assassinations in 1963. Bob then served as news director at WGBH in Boston before going to ABC radio in New York in 1968. There he served as a radio news correspondent until his retirement in 1994. During his tenure at ABC, he covered numerous news events such as National Political Conventions, Saturn and Apollo Space Missions, Space Shuttle Launches, the collapse of the Berlin Wall and Harry S. Truman’s funeral. He loved to travel, read and debate. Following his retirement in 1994, he worked as an independent news correspondent in Berlin for one year prior to moving to Sioux Falls, SD. In 2002, after a chronic illness, he moved to Marshall where he resided at Boulder Estates to be closer to family. Bob passed away at his home on Monday, July 27, 2009. Bob was a fascinating man with so many stories about his travels, news stories, family, and our country’s history. He adored his two grandsons and was a devoted St. Louis Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys fan. Bob is survived by his son Robert (and Nancy) Walker and grandsons Christopher and Nicholas of Marshall, a sister Marge Hardwick of West Covina, Ca, nephews; Sam Hardwick of West Covina CA, Ted Hardwick of Studio City, CA and John (and Laura) Hardwick of West CovinaCA. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother in law Sam Hardwick.