Dick Walker

Biography

John R. "Dick" Walker, 87, of Idaho Falls, passed away February 4, 2017, at Hospice of Eastern Idaho from health complications, with his wife and daughter by his side. He was born June 21, 1929, in Clifton, Idaho, to George LeRoy Walker and Ellen Elizabeth Hess Walker. He was raised in a little pink house on a little farm with some chickens, sheep, cattle and horses. He was the sixth child in a family of nine. He attended schools in Clifton and graduated from Clifton High School. After graduating, he served an LDS mission in Minnesota. Dick married his high school sweetheart, Zetta M. Benson, on June 29, 1951. To this union were born two children, Kelly R. Walker and Shawna Lee Williams. Dick worked for his uncle, Clyde Hess, for nine years. After that, he managed Falls Distributing for many years. He also worked for H&K Construction, County of Idaho Falls, and City of Idaho Falls. Horses have been a big passion of his. A true horseman, he was active in the Bonneville Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, Cutter Racing, and Flat Track Horse Racing, which became a family business known as Walker Training Stables. He became known as a man who could take a horse and get it to perform or run when no one else could. Dick and his wife, Zetta, were inducted into the Horseman Hall of Fame in 2010. Dick finally decided to retire from training race horses at the age of 85. Dick was always willing to help whoever needed it, without taking a dime for it. He always had a smile on his face and jokes to tell. His grandchildren and great grandchildren were the light of his life. Dick was a loving, caring, giving man, and he will be truly missed by many. Dick is survived by his loving wife, Zetta Walker of Idaho Falls; daughter, Shawna Williams of Dubois, ID; grandsons, Will Johnson, Jesse Williams, and Dusty Tuckness; granddaughters, Jaime (Trent) Lloyd, Kylee Sims, and Shelby Walker; great grandchildren, Luke and Reagan Williams and Jacob Johnson; sisters, Mary Kirkbride and Sharon (Keith) Thompson; and brother, Vance (Louise) Walker. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Zane and George Walker; sisters, Betty, Faye, and Arlene; and his son, Kelly R. Walker. Funeral services will be held at 12 Noon, Saturday, February 11, 2017, at Wood Funeral Home East Side, 963 S. Ammon Road, with Bishop Jeremy Cook of the Idaho Falls Brookview Ward officiating. The family will visit with friends from 10-11:45 a.m. prior to services. Burial will be in the Taylor Cemetery.