Barbara Walker

Whenever a friend, family member or stranger needed a pick-me-up, Barbara Walker was in their corner. The loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend was a confidante, best friend to many and the face of kindness to those she befriended as a long-time volunteer at Open Hands in Royal Oak and Beaumont Hospital in Troy. After a well-lived life, Barbara Walker died on Dec. 31, 2024, at the age of 96. Barbara Jean Sparks was born Oct. 15, 1928, in Royal Oak, Michigan to Grace and Chilton Sparks. After graduating from Royal Oak High School in 1946, Barbara attended Eastern Michigan University and started working at Burroughs, the Farmington Hills company that started off making adding machines but moved to computers long after she met her husband Harold Walker in 1947, who also worked at the company. The couple were married in 1949 and had three beloved children Claudia, Jill and Douglas. They made comfortable and love-filled homes in Madison Heights, Royal Oak and Rochester. Barbara was a voracious reader, leading many book club meetings, an avid bridge player, talented knitter and an excellent and adventurous cook who shared her bounty with always grateful extended family and friends. She is survived by her daughter Jill Taylor (Robert Taylor), son Douglas Walker (Jill Walker) son-in-law Richard Atkins, sister-in-law Barbara Stevenson and three devoted grandchildren who she adored Bradley Atkins, Megan Walker and Grace Taylor, honorary daughter Kathy Pruss and many nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Harold, parents Grace and Chilton, brother Douglas, sister Mary Ellen Furr and daughter Claudia Atkins. A visitation and memorial service to honor the remarkable life of Barbara Jean Walker will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15 at Utica United Methodist Church, 8650 Canal Road in Sterling Heights. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations can be made to the American Diabetes Association at https://diabetes.org/.