Walker, Robert Francis 1921 - 2017

WALKER, SPEER

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 10/29/2017 at 23:04:36

Robert Francis Walker, 96, of Escondido, Calif., passed away on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017.

Bob will be laid to rest in the Walker Family plot at the Clear Lake Cemetery at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 23, 2017.

Bob is survived by his wife of 61 years, Adela (Lele); daughter, Carmen; son, Bob; and grandson, Tyler Ryan.

Bob was born Jan. 14, 1921, in Mason City, Iowa, the son of Perc and Bernice (Speer) Walker.
Bob lived in Clear Lake until graduating from Clear Lake High School in 1938. After high school, he attended Iowa State University, from which he graduated in 1942 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Bob served in the Pacific during World War II, on board the submarine USS Pintado as a Lieutenant, Jr. Grade. After the war, Bob worked for Eastman Kodak in Rochester, New York, for several years before embarking on a career which entailed a number of international work assignments.

Bob met Lele while on a work assignment in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After a quick courtship, they were married on Dec. 15, 1955. Their daughter, Carmen, was born in Chicago, Ill. in 1958; their son, Bob, was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1961.

Bob’s career allowed him to travel extensively, with assignments in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Madrid, Spain, London, England, New Jersey and California. Bob retired to the San Diego, Calif. area in 1992.

Bob was a dedicated family man who took tremendous joy in traveling and vacationing with his family; something he did as often as his work allowed. He cherished his international assignments as they afforded his family the opportunity to travel extensively, have broad experiences, and instill in his children a likeminded love of travel, language and culture. One of his most proud moments was the birth of his only grandchild, Tyler, whom he and Lele visited in Seattle before Carmen and Tyler moved to San Diego where they could spend even more time together.

Later in life, Bob rediscovered his love for sailing and photography. His love of sailing began during his childhood summers in Clear Lake. Upon retiring to the San Diego area, he sailed at every opportunity, even earning his ‘captain’s stripes’ from the US Coast Guard. Ever the avid photographer, Bob and Lele would travel extensively up and down the West Coast, and to the National Parks in search of that elusive perfect photograph. The family has the good fortune of having Bob’s many photographs as a reminder of his skill and passion.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.