Historical Summer 2012 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Don Walker passed away in April, after a short stay in hospice, where he was visited by several Westminster friends. Don was 84 years old and had lived at 6143 Westminster for close to 50 years. Until the late 80’s, he had been a theatrical agent, booking variety type acts for county fairs all over Missouri and in downstate Illinois.
He knew a number of big names including the cast of the Lawrence Welk show. Long-time neighbors Lu Green and Jo Ann Vatcha recalled a memorable evening in the 90’s saying good bye to another neighbor and learning that in the 60’s Don had gone on lots of showbiz trips and heard about his friendships, with neighbors Olive Chaffee (a wonderful artist who also lived on Westminster), Irene Geer (who had a unique business creating such items as Girl Scout badges), Betty and Jim Dunlap (who ran a rare-books business from home), and next-door neighbor Dorothy Hood, who had served in WWII as an ambulance driver. No wonder these interesting folks had the great sense to locate in Skinker-DeBaliviere. Don had so many stories to tell, a tradition he carried on for the remainder of his life. Robyn Nagel said she was “among those who were fortunate enough to sit with him on his front porch and while away the time on balmy evenings chatting about the “old days” on Westminster Place.” Nancy Rice recalled that she had known Don for 50 years…. living next door to him when he moved in.
He bought the house from Mrs. Bradbury who was, I believe, an original owner and a very kind woman.” Priscilla Dowden said, “When Chris and I moved onto the block in 1995, Don was one of the first neighbors to welcome us. Don embodied the meaning of ‘neighbor’, as he not only ‘looked out’ for us, he extended himself as a friend (much in the same way neighbors used to do when I was a little girl growing up on Kennerly Ave. in the 1960s). Don was warm, funny, intelligent, and caring. Oh, and, then there was that fabulous platinum hair of his!” Don was originally from Morrisonville, IL, a small farming community.
He had a BA from the University of Illinois where he had been a cheerleader.
He later took graduate classes in education at Wash U. At age 17,he enlisted and was a radioman on a destroyer and a cruiser during WWII.
In later life, he returned to Morrisonville regularly for 5 years to care for his beloved mother Wanda.
He came back to Westminster after her death. Don was a neighborhood institution.
He knew everyone and was a fixture in the summer on his front porch, with a diet Pepsi and a cigarette.
When the history of the neighborhood was being written in 2008, Marj Weir and Jo Ann Vatcha recruited Don to be interviewed by oral historian Jody Sowell, who said filming Don was a great experience. Don mentioned in the interview that he “hated to leave even for a weekend, afraid I’d miss something.
When I’d go to Florida or someplace, I’d send cards back here. Why I don’t know.
But I’d miss it… it was my street, my neighborhood.” Don recounted how he started his rehab, first painting the trim orange (“I don’t know why”) and telling of the parties in the 36” deep, 12 foot galvanized pool he put in the garage: “An architect across the street, Herb Levy, and young neighbors Carol and Jim in their twenties took scrap lumber to build a ladder to get into the pool.
We called it the Westminster Country Club.” He also proudly recalled that former Alderman Dan McGuire had called him the “Mayor of Westminster”. Throughout his nearly 50 years on Westminster, he had a manicured front lawn and beautiful statues in back.
He had a huge collection of salvaged hardware and was always there to share and help.
He helped Lara Doyle when her husband was out of town.
He was close to his next door neighbor, Dorothy Hood, and provided respite care for her mother who had Alzheimer’s.
His yearly yard sale was famous for all the antiques and interesting items he had saved through the years. Rags to Riches will never be the same!
He had a famous sweet tooth and spent his last 2 birthdays at Crown Candy and Ted Drewes respectively. Neighbors on Westminster have celebrated Don’s birthday with him in recent years. Hitch and Mary Powell were neighbors and friends for 31 years and shared fond memories of his friendship, as did the Fitzpatricks, the Nodiffs, the Nagels, and many others.
As Hitch Powell said, “He was a friend to many on 61xx Westminster.” Young neighbor Tashonda Stewart, whose grandparents Willie Mae and Bob Stewart lived near Don for many of those 50 years, said: “It’s just like Don to go out in style. Taking into consideration all his years as a Theatrical Agent and then he passes away on the same day as Dick Clark.
When I went to see him Monday morning, he told me he was ready. RIP Don.
The block won’t be the same without you. Dick Clark knows everybody, so together I’m sure you’ll put together great shows up there.” Neville Vatcha added, “Don reminded you of the qualities that make our neighborhood, and especially our block, so great.
It doesn’t matter if you’re foreign or native born, black or white, young or old, gay or not.
He was your friend and neighbor.” In his oral history interview, Don said, “I knew everyone and everyone knew me, and I felt safe here.” On his upcoming birthday in July, neighbors will gather on his lawn and drink a toast. One of Don’s last acts was to make a small bequest to the block for this year’s block party, which will be in his honor.
All are welcome.
Original photograph caption
Don Walker. Descriptive caption supplied.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, Summer 2012.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2012_06.pdf, printed page(s) 7; PDF page(s) 7.
