John Francis Walker, CDR, CHC, USN (ret.), peacefully passed into God’s Greater Glory Jan. 16, 2014, in his home in La Conner.
Born in 1929 to Francis and Blanche (Jackson), he felt his parents’ struggle to put food on the table and the loss of their home.
Awarded the highest athletic honors by Northeast High School in Philadelphia, he went on to pursue sports at West Chester College. Enlisting in the United States Navy in March 1951, he saw combat duty in Korea before his enlistment ended in June 1953. He spent that summer as a motorcycle cop for the Stone Harbor, New Jersey Police Department. In October 1953, the Pinkerton Detective Agency hired him. By September 1954, John Francis received his calling. He turned down a Pinkerton promotion, and spent the next six years hard at the books and graduated from Temple University with a B.S. in education, and from Philadelphia Theological Seminary with an Masters of Divinity. Long before graduation he was assigned to a parish, Milville, N.J., which he left in September 1962 to join the U.S. Navy and qualify as a chaplain.
Always the athlete — skiing, ice skating, riding horseback, up to age 50 he took his annual physical running alongside 19-year-old recruits. His USN duty stations spread across the globe and included Europe, South America, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, as well as many U.S. locations, lastly to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station as senior chaplain 1979 from to November 1981. Whether strumming a guitar for troops on board the U.S.S. Sierra or the U.S.S. Poncé, or working on land with Philadelphia’s inner-city youth, or camouflaged, leading his Marines hauling food to orphanages in Vietnam, or from the loading platform of a military vehicle serving Communion to those same Marines, or providing solace for mourning families, or delivering straight talk to brig dwellers, John Francis lived his calling.
One theme shines through his superiors’ commendations: The lieutenant, or LCDR, or CDR consistently saw what was needed, no matter the personal toll, and thrust himself forward to exceed the mission’s goal. Military medals awarded: Navy Commendation Medal and “V,” Cross of Gallantry (Vietnam), Navy Achievement Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, as well as Unit Citation and Combat Action Ribbon.
He retired as a USN CDR and, for five years, he ran Help House in Oak Harbor. He served Episcopal congregations on Lopez Island, Monroe, Langley, Bellingham and Sedro-Woolley where Saint James became our parish home. At 70, another battleground found him fighting cancer and winning, thanks to the Skagit Valley Food Co-op, and local and Swedish Hospital help, and many prayers.
A reader and thinker, he avidly shared his widely encompassing knowledge with the Third Order Franciscans for more than 40 years, and with a broad diversity of minds. He thrilled to all things Celtic, supporting the Celtic Arts Foundation.
John Francis is survived by his goddaughter, Cathy Smith, and his wife, Jean.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Celtic Arts Foundation of Mount Vernon, P.O. Box 1342, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 or Christ Episcopal Church Music Fund, 1216 Seventh Street, Anacortes, WA 98221.
At 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 15, at Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, 415 South 18th Street, Mount Vernon, his friends and family will rejoice remembering John Francis’ life on Earth, and joining our voices with God’s heavenly chorus where this avid Celt can finally play the bagpipes.
