James R. Walker

James “Jim” Roger Walker November 28, 1937 – February 6, 2023 (age 85) Jim Walker, 85, of Catlin, Illinois, passed into Glory in his sleep on February 6, 2023. Jim was born November 28, 1937, in Sidney, Illinois to Harley and Irene Walker. Jim married Judith Jane Beason on February 18, 1962, and they celebrated 58 years together before Judy’s passing December 27, 2020. They had two children, Joellyn (David) Parry who live in Sterling, Virginia, and Jeff (Denise) Walker, who passed away from pancreatic cancer just three days after his Dad on February 9, 2023. In addition to Joellyn and David, other survivors include their three daughters, Caitlyn, Courtney and Corinne, and Jeff’s daughter’s Emma and Madilynn. Jim was an amazing Husband, Dad and Grandfather. He had many great friends and was truly loved by all who met him. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. Jim worked in an office for several years and did not enjoy it, so he switched jobs. He ended up working for Catlin Township for over 30 years; he loved being home for lunch with his children, and later grandchildren. He enjoyed the people he worked with and loved being outside. Jim taught Hunter Safety courses for over 40 years; he was a volunteer fireman in his younger years; he was on the board of the Fairmount Conservation Club; he volunteered at the War Museum in Danville every Friday for years; he was very involved at the Methodist Church in Catlin and helped out with the teen group multiple years, and he loved to played Euchre with different groups almost every Monday thru Thursday. Jim’s pride and joy in life was his five grand-daughters. When he visited Jeff in Carterville, he took Emma and Madilynn hunting, fishing, driving around the refuge and he would have Emma tell him where everything was; they all played Rummy for hours and hours; he helped the girls learn to drive when they had their permits. Jim loved to volunteer at Joellyn’s daughters’ schools when he and Judy flew to Northern Virginia several times each year; he helped out in their classrooms, watched them run the mile, went on their field trips as a chaperone, met each of the girls for lunch, was their chauffer for many, many years until they were 15 ½ years old, and then he was the BEST, most patient driving instructor! His funeral will be a private ceremony at the National Cemetery in Danville.

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