Myron Joseph Walker

WALKER, POWELSON, KESSLER, ADAMS, DENTON, JOHNSON, MICHAEL

Posted By: Greg Strub (email)
Date: 4/13/2012 at 12:00:44

1953 - 2 September - Iowa City Press Citizen

Myron Walker, Former Mayor, Dies

Was Retired Navy Commander

Myron J. Walker, of 406 South Summit street, retired navy commander and former mayor of Iowa City, died at 11 a.m. today at Mercy hospital, where he had been admitted about two hours earlier.

Commander Walker would have been 61 years old on Saturday. Death was attributed to a heart attack.

Born September 5, 1892, near Lone Tree, Myron Walker was a direct descendant of two of Johnson county's earliest pioneer residents. His paternal grandfather, Joseph Walker, Sr., settled here in August 1837, only three months after the county has been opened for settlement. His maternal grandfather, Moses Adams, settled here in March, 1838.

He was the grandson of Cloy Jane Powelson Walker and Sarah J. Kessler Adams and the son of Joseph and Cora Adams Walker, Jr.

He attended Johnson county and Iowa City schools and the University of Iowa, the U.S. Naval academy, from 1911 to 1915, and Naval Aviation Training school in 1925 and 1926.

On November 22, 1916 he was married to Marjorie Denton, who preceded him in death February 11, 1951. He was married April 3, 1952 to Mrs. Jennie Johnson Michael of New York, N.Y., who survives.

Commander Walker had a record of 30 years naval service, including both world wars. Stationed in virtually all parts of the United States, he had many routine cruises to the Caribbean and Central American areas, as well as extended cruises to the Near East, and the Orient, where for a year he served as commanding officer of a Yangtze river gunboat.

He served aboard the first U.S. naval vessel to circumnavigate South America after the opening of the Panama canal, and while in naval aviation was the commanding officer who placed in commission the naval air station at Moffet Field, Calif.

During his naval service, he received several "letters of commendation' as well as a series of campaign medals.

Retiring from the service in 1936, Commander Walker was recalled to active duty in 1940 and retired again for physical disability in 1945. During World war II, he was one of the pioneers in the development of Degaussing, which successfully combated the magnetic mine.

Commander Walker served as mayor of Iowa City from 1937 - 1939. He was a member of the First Presbyterian church, and the Masonic, Elks and Moose lodges here.

Other affiliations included; the State Historical Society of Iowa, U.S.N.A. Alumni association, Naval Academy Athletic association, "N" club (discus), U.S. Naval Academy, Monday Morning Quarterbacks - (honorary "I" club), and "honorary citizen" of Boystown since 1937.

Since his retirement his only business activity had been the supervision of his real estate holdings.

Funeral services for Commander Walker are pending. The body is at the Oathout funeral home.